How to be a Pirate
by Christopher M Jung
Summary: After being gone three years, a Hiccup who has left his mark in the world comes to Berk by chance and ends up saving it from the Outcast. Deed done, he wants to go back to exile, but some Berkians conspire to keep him closer to home...
1. A Note from Hiccup

A Note from Hiccup

I've always wondered if I did the right thing that day. If I had stayed, would things have worked out differently? Would I be the man I am now? I look back on that day and see a young boy full of fear, uncertain of his future and believing the only thing he could do was run. I look back at that boy and I see him as someone I do not know, for I have changed so much that the young man I once was is a stranger to me. So I write this as if through the eyes of another person, and tell the tale of how I became a pirate.


	2. Prologue

Prologue.

"Leaving...We're leaving."

Walking towards a boulder was a young man of 13 years of age with shaggy wild brown hair that feathered out in all directions. He looked around before swinging the heavy basket off his shoulder and setting it on the green forest floor.

"Let's pack up. Looks like me and you are taking a little vacation. Forever."

Kneeling, he flipped open the lid. His green eyes scanned the contents of the basket; then, sighing, he stood and slowly looked one last time around the enclosed area. This was the place where he had meet his dragon, where he had trained his dragon. He caught a movement with the corner of his eye and turned.

"Toothless," he greeted.

The black Night Fury walked slowly to the young boy and sat down, sniffing at the riding harness and green shirt. Smiling, the boy reached out and scratched the dragon's head, then turned. Picking up the basket, he walked over and fixed it to the saddle with a few leather straps.

Looking at the dragon, he took a step back to admire his handy work. "How does that feel?"

Toothless flexed his wings experimentally, then grunted his approval.

Nodding the boy mounted him. "Let's go, buddy."

With a small lunge and beat of his wings, the dragon shot off the ground. The boy did not look back.

If he had, he would have seen a figure standing below: a female with blond hair and a ax in hand staring up at them.

"_Hiccup_?"

* * *

Daylight shimmering off his black scales, Toothless watched the water fly past as he soared over it, his saying nothing as they flew. The only words that the boy had uttered had been to tell Toothless to fly, which the dragon was happily obeying, flapping his wings softly and heading towards something he knew his Rider might find interesting. Toothless grunted and looked back at the fading island of Berk a feeling of foreboding shivered through the dragon, as if they had yet to see the last of the island.

Hiccup looked strictly forward as the clouds moved past him. He feared that if he looked back he might turn Toothless around and return, and he couldn't do that, he couldn't kill a dragon. He closed his eyes and opened them after a few minutes. Why did the gods hate him so? He sighed, then started as he noticed the mist of the Gate of Helheim rolling into view.

"Toothless, where are you taking us?" He asked.

The dragon snorted, making it clear that the boy would just have to trust him. Hiccup nodded and huddled down closer to the saddle: he would trust the dragon with his life, after all Toothless had trust Hiccup with his life.

As they plunged into the thick fog, the boy lost all sense of sight. He gripped the leather of the saddle tighter as the sound of his friend's wings flapped harder, his green eyes darting back and forth in search of any sign of life. Then, as if on cue, a large island loomed into view and Hiccup wondered what the island was and if this was where the dragon wanted to go?

It wasn't apparently. When the dragon saw the island, he turned, heading right of it. Swooping down, Toothless flew low, his stomach skimming the surface.

After what seemed like hours, another island came into sight. Hiccup gripped the harness harder as Toothless slowed and then landed. The island had four giant walls surrounding what looked like a massive crater.

Inside that crater, the bones of dragons lied everywhere.

Eyes wide, Hiccup marveled. "Is this what I think it is?"

Toothless grunted in response and flapped his wings again, taking off and circling the island before landing in the crater. Hiccup looked around, his eyes falling on every skeleton that he could see: Zipplebacks, Nightmares and many, many more, even dragons he had never seen or heard about. Hiccup was pulled to a jerky stop as Toothless let out a threatening grow.

Several skeletons were moving towards them.

"Buddy?"

The Night Fury growled louder and crouched low.

A flicker in the skeleton's eyes caught Hiccup's attention. "Bonenashers," he whispered and slid from the Night Fury's back. Walking slowly forward, he held out his hand. The first skeleton twice the size of Hiccup stopped before him.

A shimmer; then, a dragon flickered into sight, skin seemingly blending into the background. It growled. The bones it wore as armor shuttered around it. Hiccup smiled and turned his head down, letting the dragon know that he meant no harm. There was small thump and then, a warm sensation against his outstretched hand. It made him look up. Two golden eyes stared back at him and the skeleton helmet the dragon usually wore was laying at Hiccups feet.

Smiling, he turned to Toothless. "Home sweet home."


	3. Three Years Later

Chapter 1

3 years Later.

A tattered Jolly Roger was whipped around as the cold autumn air pulled it in all directions. The sound of swords and axes clashing filled the nights air. _The perfect night for a raid_, thought a tall man with a dark beard that stuck out everywhere as if the man had been hit by a bolt of lighting. He looked upon the small town of Berk, making sure all was going according to plan.

"Captain, the vikings are few, we are winning," reported his first mate.

"Of course we are winning." The Captain's dark eyes flickered over to him and then out onto the island's shores, filled with cruel intent. "That idiot Stoick left to go hunting for dragons again, leaving easy pickings for us Outcasts. The boss will be happy with this haul," he commented as he turned and walked towards the railing of the ship, the night air causing his breath to fog out of his mouth.

Then a high pitched whining sound caught his ears. He could hear the remaining vikings yelling "_Nightfurygetdown!_", and then a bolt of bluish fire struck the beach, sending many of his men flying into the sand.

It had come from above him. He snapped his head up, eyeing the dark skies searchingly as a shadow passed over him and his boat. The inhuman screech came again. The Captain's eyes widened as he guessed what was coming next. The blue bolt struck his ship as he was jumping from it.

"It's the Rider!" He yelled when he resurfaced. He swam quickly to the shallows and then ran out of the water, drawing his sword. He turned, looking around.

His men where now being chased by the Vikings that had not ran away when they had started losing. He looked for a way to get away - his ship was gone, his men and him would be slaughtered by the Vikings, with the Dragon Rider here they had no chance of winning. Then a _THUMP_ caught his attention and, turning slowly, looked at the Night Fury and his Rider. His eyes widened at the appearance of the man.

The Rider wore a black hood that look like it was made of the dark material that the Lava Louts wore. The shadows hid his face well, and the Captain got the feeling he was looking at death itself coming for him. He watched, sword ready to strike, as the man pulled his own from it's sheath on his right hip, the blade shimmering a weird blue in the fire light of the sinking ship.

"Come to surrender?" The Captain asked as the man slipped from the back of the dragon. He took a step back from the dark garbed figure. "I will kill you Rider, and you little dragon too!"

Rushing forward, his blade swinging down in a fast arch towards the head of the Rider, who caught the blade on his and flicked it away. A hissing sound filled the air and the small Terrible Terror that rode on the man's shoulder shot a flame with pinpoint accuracy at the charging pirate. The Captain leapt back, sword ready to protect himself, but his opponent turned his head ever so slightly and hissed something in the language of dragons.

The Night Fury turned and ran, charging into the fleeing men.

"Why do you help these Vikings? Why do you hunt us, Rider? What did we do to you?" The Captain felt the eyes of the man on him. Even if he could not see them, he felt the hate in them.

The voice that answered was harsh and held an edge of disgust to it. "It is not what you do to me, but to my friends." Reaching up, the Rider petted the head of the Terrible Terror. "And for that, I will hunt down every pirate to extinction."

The captain took another step back, the Rider was dangers and had the skill to back up any threat. Then the captain saw some thing behind him that made him smile. "Well, that might be true, but at the moment I am not your biggest problem," he pointed out.

The Rider followed the man's finger and gasped: the Night Fury that he had rode in on was being captured by the Vikings. Vikings that the Rider had come to help.

Turning his back on the Captain, he took off. "Toothless!"

His blade held firmly in his left hand, he jumped and kicked out, his foot connecting with the face of a beefy man. The man snorted and stumbled back on his peg leg, falling. As his helmet rolled from his head, he glared at the small shadowy figure.

"What kind of itty bitty sissy kicks a man when he can stab him?" He taunted as he stood up. He lifted his left arm. The hand was missing, and a large hammer had been locked into the stump. It fell towards the shadowy figure, who immediately sprang forward, catching the weapon at the base with his sword. It cut with ease through the wood, the heavy hammer falling to the ground.

The big man looked at it, a frown on his face. "Well that's a new trick."

The Rider kicked up, this time catching the man in the soft spot between his legs. The man let out a gurgle and fell forward onto his side, holding himself in pain. "Why?"

The Rider stepped around the fallen lump of man and headed for the other Vikings that were holding his dragon captive. He stopped as a axe slammed into the ground before him. A young blond walked forward and pulled it from the ground with a jerk. Resting it on her shoulder, she glared at the Rider.

"Surrender and we will not kill your dragon, pirate."

The Rider looked past her to a burly boy held a axe over the Night Fury's head, waiting for the order to kill. The Terrible Terror on his shoulder whined at the plight of his masters riding dragon. He hissed at it, then turned to answer the girl.

"I see you all haven't changed. Fine I surrender," to prove his point, the Rider threw down his blade. "Do what you want with me, but don't hurt my dragons."

The girl walked forward and, using her axe, flipped back the Rider's hood. It fell back to reveal long shaggy brown hair that shot about wildly and fierce green eyes that made even the viking girl flinch back.

"Hiccup?" She gasped in recognition.

"Hello, Astrid."

The girl growled and slammed the butt of her axe between the Rider's eyes. He fell to the ground. The last sight that filled his fading vision were the stars.

* * *

Some thing wet pressed against Hiccups face and his eyes shot open. Siting next to him was the Terrible Terror, hissing softly in its own language.

"What we do now boss?" It was asking.

Hiccup looked away from the little dragon, his eyes scanning his surroundings. A cell, dank and wet, the stones felt cold to the touch and the air was musky. "We wait," he hissed back, "then we see what they plan for us, and if I don't like their plan we escape."

The little dragon wrapped its tail around his shoulder and settled down closing its eyes.

"We wait and see what my father will do."

* * *

Stoick the Vast (O Hear His Name And Tremble Ugh Ugh) jumped from the burnt and beaten ship, landing on the dock with a thump. The big man rolled his shoulders and began to walk up the long dock, his eyes downcast. What was he to do about the dragons? They keep raiding and he still could not find the nest. His thoughts where cut short as he head the footfall-and-pegfall that was the signature of his friend Gobber the Belch.

"So how was the trip?"

Stoick looked up to meet his friends eyes. "We lost many men and didn't find a thing. It's like the gods protect the damn beasts."

Gobber nodded and keept pace with the viking leader. "Well I have some good news and some bad news."

Stoick looks over to his friend askance.

"We have a guest."

* * *

The sound of a door slamming woke both Hiccup and the little dragon. Standing slowly, the boy, now wearing old cast-off viking clothes, watched and waited, his eyes on the door of his cell. Who would it be, his father or some one else? Some one to kill him? Then the door flew open and Stoick the Vast stepped in, his eyes falling on the face of his son.

The big man eyed the younger up and down. "You have grown."

Hiccup gave a cold smile. "Yes Stoick, I have grown. The passing of time tends to do that to teenagers. Now, what do you plan to do with me?"

Stoick looked as if he had been slapped. The tone in his son's voice is harsh and unfriendly. He wanted to ask him what had turned him into... _this_, but instead he says, "I have no plans as of yet. I wish to know why you came back."

The boy sat back leaning heavily on the wall, his hair is messy and dark rings shadowing his eyes. "I came to help you, and this," he swept his hand around, motioning to the room and himself as he glared at his father, "is how I am thanked for my help. Not even the Lava Louts locked me up."

Stoick stepped forward. "They didn't mean any thing by it, son - they just, well, they probably just want to stop you from leaving. I have missed you, I thought you where dead. We searched everywhere for you when you did not show up for the tournament. I see why you did not show up." He lifted his eyes and looked into his son's. "Why didn't you tell me?"

A soft laugh leaves his Hiccup's lips. "Come now, if I had told you, you would have shrugged me off not believing a word I said. And if you had believe me, you would have gone and killed my dragon. No, Stoick, I don't think there was any way to tell you."

Hurt filled the big man's eyes, but he hid it in a second. "Why do you call me 'Stoick' and not 'dad'?"

Rolling his eyes, Hiccup petted the little dragon who was hissing at Stoick. "You were never a father to me. You do not deserve the right to that word. Now, either let me out of this cell or kill me, 'cause I have no wish to remain here. And I want my dragon back." The words were cold and they dripped with venom.

"I will talk to the elders. 'Till then you will remain my guest." Turning, he walked to the cell door. Leaning on the side of the door frame was Spitelout, his younger brother. "Take him to the hall and get him something to eat. And watch him, brother, he is not the same Hiccup that we once knew."

The man nodded and walked into the cell. "Come on, Hiccup, time to get some grub." Despite himself, he was curious. Really, how had his nephew, of all people, gone from being, well, a hiccup, to being the Dragon Rider?

Oblivious to his thoughts, Hiccup smiled softly. "Very well then, Uncle, lead the way."

Spitelout turned, then stopped and looked back at the boy. "It's good to see you again. I am glad you are alive." He didn't say he was glad Hiccup didn't look like a twig anymore.

Hiccup followed his Uncle out, looking over his shoulder at his father, who was walking the other way. Turning his head back, he walked towards the door with his uncle.

"Tell me about you adventures as the Dragon Rider." Spitelout asks despite himself.

Hiccup smiled obligingly. He actually liked telling stories "Anything in particular?" he asked, hoping that his uncle wouldn't ask why exactly he became a pirate.

"How did you stop the Outcast from blowing up the Lava Louts mountain?" .

"I used sea dragons. The Scaldrons can not only boil water in their stomachs, they can also shoot cold water, so I asked a dozen or so to help and I stopped the eruption that the Outcast had been trying to cause."

The man smiled and nodded. Hiccup looked around then, as he heard whispers. Shaking his head, he walked on in silence. His uncle noticed the shift in his mood and asked no more questions. Walking into the Feasting Hall Spitelout led his nephew over to a table in the back, handing the boy a plate with food and a cup of mead.

"Can I ask you something?" He waited for Hiccup to look at him and nod, and proceeded. "Why did you leave?"

Hiccup sighed and looked down at his food, but before he could answer some else did it for him.

"Because he is a coward." Looking up, his eyes fell upon another Viking man, who was none other than Astrid's father, Finran the Mighty. "He ran like a little girl, because he couldn't stand the thought of killing a little dragon."

Hiccup gaze bore into the man's eyes defiantly. "Yeah, you're right, I couldn't kill a dragon. After all, killing things smarter than any one in your village, or everyone in the village put together for that matter, knocks down the level of intelligent conversation."

A smile curled on his uncle's lips. For the first time, he didn't see why Stoick wasn't proud of the boy: he was fearless. Even if he had left the village because he couldn't kill the beast, he still had more courage than half the Vikings that sailed with him and his brother.

Finran, however, didn't appreciate the cheek. He growled and reached out to grab the boy, but Hiccup spun away as if he was made of the wind itself.

"That's enough, Fin. If you reach for that boy again, you will have to find someone else to fix your weapons for you," said Gobber as he came out of nowhere, hobbling over. His tanker was attached to his arm and a scowl was attached to his face.

Fin glared at the burly blacksmith. Then his eyes turned back to Hiccup and he spat. "Go to Hel."

He turned to leave, but not before the hiss of the Terrible Terror caught everyone's ears. Everyone looked back to see the little dragon glaring daggers at Fin. Hiccup hissed at it and it immediately calmed down, curling up once more on the boys shoulder.

Hiccup looked at the big blacksmith with a twinge of guilt pulling at his stomach. "Sorry about... Well, you know."

Gobber nodded then smiled, laughing out loud and smacking the boy on his back. "What is there to be sorry about? If I'd know you could get that good with a sword I would have made you one and would've had you kicking my butt from her to Valhalla a long time ago."

Hiccup smiled. "It's good to see you Gobber, but I want to know where my dragon is?"

Both men looked at one another and then back down at the boy.

"He is fine, down at the ring. He is locked up. Don't worry I've been feeding him. Your father said you could go to see him, if you gave me your word you wouldn't try to run away."

Sighing Hiccup sat back down and took a bite of his food. "I won't run. I hadn't planned on staying long enough for you all to find me, but things never go as planned when my family is involved."

Gobber sat down next to the young boy. "So the Dragon Rider, ah?"

Nodding, Hiccup picked up a chunk of cooked fish that sat next to him and held it out to the Terrible Terror. The little dragon gulped it down then curled back up on Hiccups shoulder.

"An' who is that little fella?"

Hiccup looked at the dragon. "She is Crimson, due to her color." The red little Terror huffed at the two and they nodded.

"Seems she is very close to you."

Hiccup smiled. "All dragons are close to me, I am the Dragon Rider, there isn't a dragon that I have meet that isn't my friend or that hasn't helped me."

Both nodded and watched the young man eat. Gobber smiled at the changes in the boy. He was now taller than any of the other boys in the village and he was no longer just skin and bone. Instead, there were lean muscles that rippled under the boy's shirt. The old Hiccup was gone, but Gobber would still sense that 'Hiccupness' in the the boy that had always got him into trouble.

Finishing, the boy stood. "Well, it's time I go and pay Toothless a visit or else he might kill some one."

Gobber nodded slowly, also getting to his feet. "Well, right now the class is in the middle of a training exercise but I am..." He stopped as he saw Hiccup was smiling wide - no, not smiling, smirking. Smirking in a way the man had never seen before.

"Or I could, well, you know, show you tough vikings how a Dragon Rider handles a dragon?" With that, he started walking for the hall doors with both men following, stunned, in his tracks.

* * *

**Hello all you will notice a change in style and some changes in the story from the first three chapters. Well that is quiet easy as I have a co writer. She goes by the pen name**

Pluma Desatada

**So give her lots of love for her hard work on my newest fic. Peace out till then.**

**-writer out-**

**-Ark-D-gun-  
**


	4. How a Rider Fights

Chapter 2

How a Rider Fights.

As he walked to the arena, the people of Berk looked at him in awe as well as in fear.

Hiccup had asked for his old gear back and, after making him promise that he would not run away, Gobber had given it back. The boy now wore the dark armor made of Night Fury scales, which was light and shimmered a eerie blue in the day light. It came down to his knees and there was a brown leather belt wrapped around his waist holding the armor in place. A black piece cloth was wrapped around his shoulders and went down his back like a scarf, only it had a hood. Gobber and Spitelout had noticed it was made out of the same fireproof materiel that the Lava Louts used. Running up his right arm were large black scales that he used as a gauntlet shield.

Hiccup's sword hung from his right hip. The hilt of the sword was wrapped in a dull brown leather and had a yellow ruby that, as Hiccup had explained when asked, was called 'dragon's eye' because it resembled its namesake. It had been a gift from the Bonenappers of the Island of Dragon Bone, the place to where all dragons went to die.

Crimson hissed from her spot the black shoulder pad on Hiccup's right shoulder. Hiccup hissed back and the little dragon purred in response.

"What was all that about?"

Hiccup looked over at his Uncle. "She was asking if we were going to see Toothless, and I told her yes."

Nodding at the answer, his uncle looked forward again. Now that he had got more comfortable around Hiccup, the man had been asking him none stop about his adventures and what all his armor and all the things in his belt pouches did. Hiccup didn't quite know how he felt about that.

They trudged their way up to the arena, the place where he had been forced into training to kill dragons, the place that had cause him to leave. He felt anger rise, but pushed it away as they neared.

The roar of a dragon caught his ears. "I WILL KILL YOU ALL!"

Shaking his head, he picked up his pace. "They're fighting a Night Terror aren't they?"

Gobber stilled in shock. "How did you know that?" he asked. Seeing Hiccup was ahead by several paces, the big man hobbled into step with him.

The young Rider looked at him as if Gobber had insulted him. "Dragon Rider, remember. I know my dragons." He heard another roar. "And that dragon wants someone dead. Who's in the ring with it?"

Gobber stopped for a second and cocked his head, his eyes looking to the heavens and his hand coming up to rub the stubble on his chin. "Well, some old students, your old classmates, and a few new recruits."

Hiccup, who was now at the heavy wooden and steel gate, reached down and tried to lift it, but even though he had gained some muscle over the years away, he was still not nearly strong enough.

"I got it." Spitelout walked up and, reaching down, hauled the door open with a loud grunt.

Hiccup nodded his thanks and walked into the arena, taking in the caged-in area. His eyes fell first on Snotlout, his cousin, the one who had held the axe over Toothless' head. He took in his cousin's new look: the young man had stubble on his lower chin, much like his father; he wore Viking battle gear and his face was twisted up in determination.

Hiccup looked away as another figure caught his eye. Dogsbreath the Durbrain yelled the Hooligan battle cry as he charged the dragon. He was almost as tall as Hiccup and had large rippling muscles. He had no shirt on and the swirls of Viking tattoos ran the course of his arms and back. Long black hair hid the boy's eyes and his lower jaw jutted out in defiance of the dragon that took a swipe at him.

Hiccup shook his at the sight of those two. "Typical Vikings." Sighing, he stepped further into the ring.

At the appearance of the Rider, the cheers that could be heard died down almost immediately. Hiccup saw the twins Tuffnut and Ruffnut poking their heads out from behind their interlocked shields in curiosity. It appeared the set of brother and sister had finally figured out how to work together without killing each. Both still had long blond hair, but Ruffnut had hers pulled up in the tight bun of a married women. Hiccup wondered who the unlucky man was.

Clueless, a young Viking boy, crashed hard into the floor next to him and stood shakily. The boy was built like the others, bulky like the typical viking. His helmet was pushed down in front, hiding his eyes, and the red hair that shot out from under it was long and fuzzy-looking. Hiccup's attention was pulled away from the boy as a female voice rose into the air.

"What are _you_ doing here?"

Hiccup's heart skipped a beat or two in recognition before managed to pushed the feeling away. He pulled his gaze away from the dazed viking and let it fall on the owner of that voice: Astrid. Astrid, who stomped towards him, gripping her battle axe in her hand and clad in brand new armored shirt and skirt. Astrid, looking for all the world like a Valkyrie come from Valhalla. It made Hiccup forget how to speak for a second, but then Night Terror's roar brought him back to reality.

Walking forward and stepping around her, he hissed at the dragon to calm it down. "Easy there, boy, no need to get worked up, they aren't going to hurt you. Come on, back up."

The Night Terror growled at him, its red scales catching the light of the sun and making it look as if on fire. The dragon hissed back, green gas smoking from its curled lips. "Why should I listen to you, Rider? Why should I trust _you_ who stands to help these monsters?"

Hiccup shook his head slowly, never taking his eyes from the Night Terror. "I help you, not them. They will kill you if you don't get back. So, back! I do not wish to harm you myself."

Having to threaten the Night Terror made him sad, but it seemed to work. The dragon hissed its agreement and slowly backed into the cage, its tail flicking lever that would close its door. The door shut with a grinding sound as the tail darted back into the pen. Hiccup then heard the grumble of the audience, and he looked around to see the Vikings walking away from the bleachers that surrounded the caged arena.

Sighing heavily he turned and saw the smiling face of the only friend he had ever had on this little island before Toothless. "Fishlegs!"

The once nerdy viking was no longer what one could call nerdy. The young man had arms bigger than anyone Hiccup had ever met and was so tall he even towered over Hiccup. His blond hair was longer than Hiccup had ever seen it... and was that stubble on his chin?

Fishlegs smiled and leaned heavily on a two-handed war hammer. "Well, back from the dead, are you? Though I never thought you were dead. I see you've levelled up quite nicely since I last saw you."

Hiccup laughed. Though his friend had changed in appearance, he was still the same inside. "Me, level up? What about you? You are huge."

Fishlegs pulled the hammer up and let it rest on his shoulder. "Yeah well, someone had to get big enough to go out and find you. I never gave up on you, my friend. It's good to see you." He held out his hand for Hiccup.

Hiccup nodded and gripped the boys hand tightly. "It's good to see you as well." Then he noticed Ruffnut walking up to them, her shield still strapped to her arm.

"So, looks like you where right dear."

Fishlegs smiled at her and Hiccup gasped when she reached up and pulled his friend's head down, kissing him roughly on the lips. "There is your reward, though I don't know why you would ask for a kiss when I wanted your sword."

Fishlegs looked momentary dazed, but shook his head with a happy sigh. "At the time, I thought I would only get the one kiss, so I had to make sure I would get a few more somehow."

Hiccup looked between the two, his eyes darting back and forth, connecting the dots. "So, you two are married?"

Ruffnut nodded. "Yeah, since about a month ago. Was my dad's idea, acutally. Then again, old Fish here has really changed and he is quite a catch now, so I wasn't too upset about it."

Hiccup noticed his friend turning red all over. "I see. Well, I'm sorry I wasn't here for that buddy."

Fishlegs looked like he was about to say something, but he was cut off.

"We don't need you here. We have been better off without you."

Hiccup turned slowly to see Astrid standing near him, her axe buried into the stone floor. "Hello to you too, Astrid, but I wasn't talking to you."

He turned his back to her to finish his conversation with Fishlegs, but he saw his friend's eyes widening. Hiccup whipped around immediately, instinctively pulling his sword free.

The sound of metal meeting metal rang through the arena. Astrid's face was an inch from his. A growl slipping from her lips, she pushed hard, trying to send Hiccup backwards. Hiccup smirked and skipped away, letting the push carry him. Sliding to a stop, he raised the sword towards her, the sun gleaming off the blade, giving it the same eerie shimmer as his armor.

"Is that really the best you can do?" Hiccup smirked.

A blood curdling war cry left the girl as she charged him, axe flashing in the sunlight as it sang towards his chest. Blocking and rolling, Hiccup stuck out his foot, tripping the girl.

"Anger will get you killed," he said calmly. Turning, he placed his blade on her neck. "Whatever you feel towards me, clear it from you head. It will only get you killed in the long run." Slipping his sword back into the sheath at his hip, he looked up to see every one staring at him. "What?"

Fishlegs was the first to answer. "You beat Astrid."

"So?" Hiccup shrugged. "Not like it was hard."

Ruffnut shook her head. "No, you don't get it. You beat her. You are the only one to have done it. She has this thing about..." She looked past him and he followed her gaze.

Astrid was back on her feet looking, at Hiccup in shock. "It can't be, not you, anyone but you." Then she ran, flying past him and the rest of the students.

Hiccup looked around wondering what that was all about. He was answered by Snotlout.

"She will only marry a man who can best her in combat," his cousin snarled and spat, turning and walking away from the arena.

"What?"

Ruffnut stepped forward to explain. "She had the runes cast when she turned fifteen, to tell her about her future and her future husband, as we all did."

Hiccup nodded, this was common practice on the island of Berk. "Go on."

"Well the runes were quiet... Ummm, well, they where very direct about who the husband would be. They read that it would be the first man to beat her, and you are the first. And trust me, several have tried."

Hiccup nodded slowly. "Is that why my cousin spat at me?"

"He was the first to try," said Fishlegs, "and he has been trying every day for the last couple years."

"I see." Turning, Hiccup looked at the cell he knew held his dragon. "It wasn't a real fight, she can not let that count. I will not marry her. I will only marry out of love, and no law in Berk can make me do otherwise, since I am no longer a viking. I am the Dragon Rider now, and your laws hold no sway over me." He saw Fishlegs frowning at him and Ruffnut shaking her head. "Well, I have things to do, I will talk to you two later. I would leave if I were you, for I am about to let Toothless out and he will most likely want to fry the first person that isn't me."

His friends nodded and turned walking, the rest of the class followed.

"You promise not to run?"

Looking up, he noticed his Uncle and Gobber looking sadly at him. He felt a ping of guilt for his words, but they where the truth: their laws no longer held him. He was the Dragon Rider, the friend of dragons, the whisper of secret dragon lore and the defender of the fallen and weak.

"I gave you my word as a Rider, I will not run and I will stay until I feel it is time I leave."

Gobber nodded and pulled a lever. The door opened with a gravelly shriek and an angry Toothless sprang out, ready to spit blue fire on everyone and everything.

"Easy there, boss, or you'll fry the master," Crimson hissed, "and I don't think chief Nasher would like that."

Toothless stopped, his thin pupils dilating back to his normal round ones as he growled at the little Terrible Terror. "I would not fry my friend, you little lizard, now shut up or I will have you for a snack."

Hiccup laughed lightly then hissed at the the dragons. "Enough, we are all fine and that is all that matters. Have you been fed today, Toothless?"

"Yes," the Night Fury hissed and grunted as it sat down in front of his Rider, "the fat one up there has fed me the last three days. He has taken care of me."

Hiccup nodded and looked up at Gobber. "Thank you, I owe you for taking care of Toothless."

The big man smiled and began to speak, but was cut off by Spitlout.

"You can thank us with more tales of your adventures."

Gobber rolled his eyes.

"Very well," Hiccup laughed, and then got serious again, "but I have a favor to ask. I will not leave Toothless in here while I am free to walk around. So either he is allowed to walk with me or I will spend my time in here."

Gobber chewed on his lip as Hiccup stared up at the big man. He knew it was unfair to demand this of him, but he was not going to be without his friend.

"I'll have to ask your father," Gobber said finally.

"Then ask Stoick, I will stay here until then."

Sitting down, Hiccup leaned back against his friend. The Night Fury purred and wrapped his tail around the boy in a defensive manner. Gobber watched them for a few minutes, then turned to go and find Stoick. Hiccup's uncle, on the other hand, sat down with them and started to ask the boy more questions. Hiccup told him the stories he asked to hear, still marvelling that Spitelout, of all people, was interested in anything he had to say.

In the shadows, a young viking girl watched. Her eyes fixed on Hiccup, Astrid wondered about her future.

[this is the pirate line-break arr]

A note from Hiccup on the Night Terror:

**Night Terror:**  
I am that which howls in the dark/ and goes bump in the night./ I'm the shadow under your bed,/ the whisper of fear in your head./ I am your nightmares.

The Night Terror is a red dragon that can blend in with the dark. It is smaller than its cousin, the Monstrous Nightmare, and does not breath fire. Instead has a green gas that will bring about a person worst nightmare when one inhales it.

Colors: Red.

Armed with: Claws, teeth, and a gas that can make your worst nightmare come true. Score: 9

Defense: What Defense? Score: 0

Radar: No. Score: 0

Poison: Yes, teeth coated in the gas which will knock its pray out and cause their nightmares to run to the surface of the sleepers sub consonance. Score: 7

Hunting Ability: Scary to watch... Score: 8

Speed: Slower than its cousin, but still fast. Score: 6

Fear and Fight Factor: It is beyond scary. Score: 10

Total Score: 40

* * *

**I do not own How to Train your Dragon... Had to reupload, because my Co writer found a few mistakes so here it is all nice and shiny I hope :P**


	5. The Elders Decision

Chapter 3.

The Elder's Decision.

Stoick the Vast glared daggers at one of the elders. That little man had just insulted his son for the _last _time. Standing, Stoick walked slowly towards the little man, holding his hammer, ready to strike.

"Would you care to say that again, Elder." It was not a question. It was not even a threat. It was a promise.

The little man shrunk back at the sight of the leader of the Hairy Hooligans in all his unholy glory. "I was just...He is... I ..." He whimpered as he tried to push himself farther away from Stoick.

"I'll say it for you, Elder. Your son, Stoick, is a coward and has no right to be welcomed back."

Stoick whirled to stare in the eyes of Finran, his own eyes narrowed. "Would you care to say that again with my hammer lodged down your throat?"

The big man stepped forward. "You threaten me, Stoick, for a traitor?"

A loud banging echoed through the hall, bringing the men out of the staring contest. The oldest of the Elders glared at the two as she placed her staff against her shoulder and leaned heavily on it.

"Finran," she spoke, her voice unwavering despite her age, "I will not have you talking badly about my grandson, nor will I have you speaking to your chief that way. If you have a opinion on the matter, you will address us."

Stoick stepped down and sat, his eyes still on the tall man. Finran was a mighty warrior and a town hero, but he had a temper and no respect for any man, not even the chief.

"Yes, I have an _opinion_. The boy left, he is no longer a viking. So why are we talking about letting him stay? Why should we not run the little traitor out of town?"

There was a mummur of agreement around the room.

"I see. Now, may I ask you where you were three nights ago?"

Finran look confused. "Elder, is your age finally catching up to you? All of us were out looking for the nest."

The Elder nodded. "That's right you were, and while you where out looking for the dragons nest, we were attacked."

The big man crossed his arms. "Yes, and everyone here fought bravely to push back the pirates. What is you point?"

The Elder looked at a old man on her right. The man's face was a mass of wrinkles. He nodded at her and stepped forward.

"The Elder's point is this, young Fin: the young Rider came to our rescue when he did not have to, and he scattered the Pirates without our help. Yes, it was indeed young Hiccup who scared them away, the same Hiccup you call a traitor. Now would you like to know something else, young Fin?" He waited for Fin to speak, but continued when he did not. "We were losing. If not for the Rider, you would have come back to the sight of village burning and the people slaughtered. Young Hiccup is a hero of Berk. He has already proven to be a hero of the world with all the tales that float to us on the lips of travelers. Why would we not wish to have such a man among us? Why wouldn't I want my grandson back?"

Fin growled. "You both are letting you emotions sway you, Elders, this is not right!"

The other three elders shook their heads. The only one that agreed with Fin was the sixth at the end.

"This is not up for debate, young Fin. Your voice has been heard, and has been overruled by the leaders of this village. If you have a problem with..." Old Wrinkly didn't get to finish.

"I claim right of combat," Fin snarled at the old man. "Only if the boy can beat me will I accept him back."

No one moved. Stoick looked with wide eyes at Finran, the mighty warrior who had challenged his son. The Elders looked at one another, reaching a decision.

Gothi sighed heavily. "It is your right. But, as he is not yet a man, he may chose someone else to fight for him."

Fin growled loudly. "So you would let someone else fight for him. That is not the Hooligan way!"

The crowd reacted badly. Some agreed, most disagreed, all of them yelling. A few fist fights broke out.

Stoick stood and his booming voice broke over noise of the room. "Silence!"

The crowd fell quiet, eyes on Stoick as looked around the room.

Stoick's eyes fell on Fin. "I will talk to my son, and if he wishes someone else to fight for him, know that I will be the first to step in the ring with you, Fin, and I will not stop 'till you beg me to."

He had just gotten his son back and Fin, the stupid son of a pig, was trying to get rid of him. 'Not if I can help it,' he thought as he turned and stormed through the crowd. Stoick slammed open the heavy doors of the meeting hall to exit and saw his friend Gobber hobbling up the hill.

"Gobber where is my son!" The chief's voice shot out and echoed over the island.

Gobber stopped and looked at the big man. "I guess the meeting didn't go as planned?"

"You could say that." Gritting his teeth Stoick walked down the stairs two at a time. "Fin has challenged my son. Now, where is he?"

Gobbers eyes widened. "Stoick, that's not right, that's not how...why?" Their eyes meet and Gobber saw the anger barely contained in them. "Stoick, what is happening? What did the Elders say?"

"They will allow it, but he may chose someone else to fight for him."

"Oh, good," Gobber smiled. "I'll go get my axe and some undies then. That old Fin won't know what hit him."

Stoick's anger shrank a bit. He shook his head. "No, this is not your fight." He clapped his friend on the shoulder. "If anyone is to step in that ring, it will be me. And I will make that man eat every word he said about my son."

"Okay, Stoick." Gobber nodded. The look of a determined father staring him in the face made the smile slip from his own. "Your son actually sent me to find you. He wants to know if he can let his dragon out of the..." He didn't get to finish as Stoick yelled.

"_What?_"

Shaking his head, Gobber casually stuck his pinky in his ear and rubbed the inside of his ear canal. "Don't shot the messenger, and don't make him go deaf either. Hiccup wants to get his dragon out of the pen and said that if you said no he would take up residence there."

'Odin help me', thought Stoick, taking a deep breath. Then he said, "I will talk to him myself."

With that, he stomped away, Gobber trying to keep up as the angry chief made his way towards the training arena.

* * *

Hiccup sat talking to his uncle, and Fishlegs and Ruffnut who had joined to listen in. Now they sat close to one another as Fishlegs asked Hiccup about dragons. "So you got to see a Whispering Death?"

Hiccup nodded, smiling up at his friends who looked at him through the bars of the arena top. "Yeah, they are one of the few dragons that I can tell you right now I do not want to run into ever again. They are just downright nasty and complete liars."

Then, Toothless snarled and flattened his ears. "I should rip his face off."

Following his gaze, Hiccup saw Stoick the Vast walking slowly into the ring. He pet the dragon's head and hissed and growled, "Calm down Toothless. I might be angry with him, but he is still my father." He stood and walked towards the viking, Toothless following suit and growling warningly at Stoick.

Stoick either didn't hear or didn't care. "Hello, son. I have news."

Hiccup crossed his arms expectantly. "You're going to let me take Toothless out of here?"

"Yes," Stoick nodded slowly, "but you must be careful, son, people might try to... hurt your dragon."

Hiccup's eyes narrowed. "He can take care of himself, but thanks, I will not let him out of my sight. However, I have a feeling that you aren't here just to tell me that."

Stoick nodded slowly as he sighed. "The Elders and many of the villagers voted for you to stay, but Finran challenged you to combat."

A collective gasp left the onlookers and, from the shadows, a second gasp followed, but went unheard.

"Stoick, who said I wanted to stay? This is no longer my home. Your people kill dragons, whereas I save them, so why would I want to stay? And why would they think I want to stay?"

Stoick floundered. "I... I told them you wanted to stay."

Hiccups eyes widened and both his dragons hissed in anger. "Why would you do that?"

Stoick looked at his feet as he rubbed his hands together. "Because I want you to stay." He raised his head to look him in the eyes. "You are my son."

Hiccup laughed bitterly as he looked up at his father. "So _now_ I'm your son? Now that I am the Dragon Rider? Now that I have shown that I can hold my own? Now you claim me? How convenient."

Stoick shook his head. "No, son, I... I was a fool. When you disappeared, I went looking for you. I was still looking for you when you showed up. Every time we went out to look for the nest I would come back last because I would stop somewhere to ask if anyone had seen you."

Hiccup's eyes widened in shock: Stoick the Vast was _crying_.

"I could not bring myself to announce you as dead. I searched all over the island, then I started looking in the sea. I could not bring myself to let you die, so now that you showed up here I can't let you leave again. And I'll be damned if I let Fin cast you out!"

Hiccup found a emotion that he had pushed away a year ago: hope. And in a shaking voice he spoke a word he had sworn he would never say again:

"Father, this challenge is not some thing you can do for me. I am a man now; I have been since the day I left. I fight my own battles, and if he wishes to challenge the Dragon Rider, then so be it. I shall beat him as I have done all those who stood before him." Hiccup reached up and placed his hands on the big man's shoulders with a smile. "I would be glad to call this place home again, but I have much I must do, so I might not be here as much as I should. As a Dragon Rider, my life is not that of a viking, but that of a protector. And that means I will be gone more than you might see me, but I would like a normal place to live in when I am not on a quest."

Smiling, Stoick, set his hand on his son's shoulder. "You can have it then. I will let you fight this battle yourself, as a man should. You are... You show this village that you belong here, that even if you are not a Viking you are just as strong as us."

Hiccup nodded and they let go of each other. His father turned and walked away.

When he was at the door, the man stopped and said, without looking back, "Thank your dragons for me, son. They have shown me that we might have been wrong in our judgment of them." He continued walking on, leaving Hiccup with a small smile on his face.

Toothless growled happily. "We might have been wrong about him too. But that won't stop the raids, only one thing will."

"One step at a time buddy," Hiccup growled back. "I did not plan on having help when I fixed that problem, but I might have it now. Though I do not wish to think of the price it might come at." He walked to the gate with Toothless.

Spitelout was there on the other side to lift it for them. "So a welcome home is in order," he said with a crooked grin.

Hiccup smiled again and nodded.

Gobber clapped him on the back. "A welcome home, no, a party is, haha. Now come on, I want to see how much you can drink before I have you and that dragon of yours parading around like the village idiots."

Hiccup cocked his eyebrow at this. "Been there, done that," he smirked, "I already know the trick: I just have to set fire to a few things and do something stupid."

His uncle and Gobber laughed loudly and turned to say, "We'll see you in the Feasting Hall, come find us when your ready to drink till Odin himself comes to carry us off to Valhalla." Then they went on their merry way.

Shaking his head, Hiccup turned and looked to Fishlegs, who stood next to him shaking his head as well.

"I would skip on that if I where you," he said, voicing Hiccup's thoughts exactly. "They will be so drunk that they won't even notice you are missing."

Hiccup nodded. "That, and I don't drink that much anyways. Messes up my reflexes and I sort of need those."

"Yeah 'cause we all know what happened last time you got drunk," Toothless warbled conversationally.

Hiccup glared at his dragon, then turned back to his friend who had cleared his throat to speak.

"Well, seeing as you will be staying for a few more days, and I am sure you won't want to sleep out in the cold, I guess I can give you a welcome home present."

Hiccup looked confused. "What do you mean?"

Ruffnut shook her head as she looped her arm with her husband's. "He means he built you a house for when he or your father found you. After all, Fishlegs is a great carpenter and will most likely take over for his own father when all is said an done."

"I don't know what to say," Hiccup shook his head, smiling. "You really didn't believe I was dead?"

Fishlegs grinned. "Not for a second. You're tougher than you look. Well, I admit, you actually do look tough now."

They all laughed. Fishlegs turned and began to walk, arm still held tightly by his wife as Hiccup followed on the other side of him. Toothless walked by Hiccup.

"It's not the biggest, but I did make it with a few extra rooms, so if Toothless needs a place to sleep he can curl up in one of them."

Hiccup shook his head at this. "No, Toothless sleeps with me, as does Crimson, but thanks."

"Yeah," hissed the little dragon gently, "to leave Master's side would be a crime. I must protect the master, or some one might kill him in his sleep."

Toothless rolled his eyes and hissed back. "You sleep like a rock. You wouldn't hear a fart if it slipped out of you own..."

Hiccup growled at them. "Enough, you two, no reason to fight."

They both hissed their agreement and walked in silence.

"What was that about?"

Hiccup shook his head in exasperation. "Just arguing. They do that a lot, but it's just how they get along."

Both dragons hissed at him and he glared to silence them.

"You have to teach me how to talk to them," requested Fishlegs.

"I will teach you how to speak Dragonese when I have some free time. Mind you, it's not easy. Thought you might pick it up rather quickly."

Fishlegs smiled, pleased, then he stopped and Hiccuped looked at the house that stood before them. It was bigger than his father's!

His eyes widened. "This isn't mine, is it?" Busy admiring the house, he didn't notice the smug look that crossed Fishlegs' face.  
"Yep, all yours and there..." he added, pointing to the next house over, just as big, "is mine. Thought you would like a neighbour."

Hiccup smiled and looked back at the house. It was of solid build and look as if it could withstand many a great storm. It was made of oak, a tree rare on Berk, as most of the trees were pines.

"It has its own work shop and forge. I thought you might need those, seeing how you were always making some thing. I guess you can use it to make stuff for your dragons."

Hiccup beamed and walked to the door, his friends following him. The door, heavy and firm, opened with nary a creak. He looked around, noticing the wooden floor, solid underfoot. It was a typical viking home, but the wood was well carved and only the best had been used.

"You outdid yourself, Fishlegs. I can't even... Thank you."

"I am glad you like it. I thought if I built it well enough, you might stick around."

Hiccup laughed. "I'll stick around as long as I can. No promises thought. But I think I would like to always be able to return to this house."

The dragons hissed in excitement. Crimson flew from his shoulder and landed on the long table, happily curling up on it. Toothless ran and jumped up on an extra thick rafter and laid down with a small purr.

"Well its nice to see they approve."

Hiccup laughed."We were always sleeping in caves or something along those lines. This is a nice change."

Fishlegs nodded and Ruffnut pulled at her husband's arm. "Come on, dear, you have work to do and I have to help with the spinning. Hiccup, we'll tell your father where you are and check up on you later." Then, out of nowhere, Ruffnut hit him in the arm and said, smiling, "Welcome home."

Fishlegs held out his arm and Hiccup gripped it in a firm shake.

"I'll stop back later after I am done," said Fishlegs. "Try to stay out of trouble and don't go drinking with your uncle and Gobber. I don't want to have to carry you back up here, no matter how little you weigh."

Laughing, Hiccup nodded and let go of his friend's hand. "Okay, I'll stay here. After all, it's safer."

Both his friends nodded then turned to leave, giving him and his dragons a wave as they left.

Turning, Hiccup walked to the fireplace and began to build a fire, snorting at his dragons who snored lazily behind him. His thoughts raced as he considered what he should do about the fight that would soon take place. A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Throwing a final log on the fire, he stood and walked to the closed door.

When he pulled it open, his eyes widened at who he saw. Of all people...

"_Astrid?_"

* * *

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. Fix's and re-write done, thanks to my awesome co-writer Pluma, now get ready for the new updates :3  
**


	6. Raid

Chapter 4

Raid.

Astrid glared at Hiccup, her eyes taking in the the sight of the young man, and she shivered. He looked so different. So dangerous. Not at all like the boy she had known all those years ago. His polite cough snapped her out of her thoughts.

"Can I help you?" His voice was not harsh, but it held a icy tone to it.

She nodded slowly, listening to the noise of dragons hissing. "Are you going to invite me in or must we stand at your door to talk?"

Hiccup stepped aside, allowing the girl passage. She smelt like flowers and soap and steel. Shutting the door behind her, he turned to find her looking into the fire.

"What can I help you with?"

"The fight."

Hiccup shook his head. "I see you have already heard about the fight with your father."

She shook her. "Not that fight." He could practically hear her glare in her voice. "The fight early this day, the one where you beat me." She turned, piercing him with her eyes.

Sighing, Hiccup walked around the table and grabbed a jug. He swirled it around and sniffed it, then put it to his lips and sipped gently. It was lukewarm water, and he took a long drink. Setting it down, he turned and looked at her.

"That was not a fight. It was nothing at all, and I do not know why you are bring it up."

A growl curled from her lips as she stepped forward menacingly, only to stop as the Terrible Terror hissed at her in warning. Her fist clenched, her eyes narrowed, why did this have to be so hard? Couldn't she just tell him? But no, she must not seem weak.

It was still her job to protect him, ever since she had taken it upon herself to become his silent protector all those years ago, watching him from afar and doing what she could for him. When the others made fun of him, she would hurt them later, when they fought. When he was down, she would run interference so he could slip away. But then he had left... He had left _her_. The person she cared for had left her. She had seen him leave. She had kept his secret, as a protector should do, and she had waited for him to return.

Except then the runes had spoken of the man she was to marry. She had hoped for them to tell her she was to be his defender, or anything that would have hinted at Hiccup. But she had been wrong, or so she had thought: they had spoken of a man who would defeat her. Her, the strongest young viking in the village. She had pledged, then and there, that no one would defeat her.

But then Hiccup arrived, changed, stronger, and he'd beaten her as if she was nothing more than a mindless thug with a stick. True, she had attacked him, but she had been angry, if not for the reasons she had said. No, she was angry that he had left, that he did not care about any of them, that it had been about those damned dragons.

She glared at the Terrible Terror on the table and it did not shrink away. Instead, it growled louder. Hiccup growled something at it, making it sit down. It hissed some more, gently, then went silent.

Her eyes snapped back to Hiccup. His face still held its boyish charm but his body was no longer that of a weak boy's. It was strong and fit and, even with the armor on, she could see the lean muscles rolling under his shirt as he reached up and brushed stray pieces of hair from his face.

"I bring it up because I am sure someone explained what it meant."

Hiccup rolled his eyes and sighed. "That you would marry the first man to best you? Well, too bad that I am not a viking. I do not follow the runes, I follow only what I choose to follow. And I choose to marry out of love, should I ever marry. So if that is all you had to talk about, then I will ask you to leave." Crossing his arms, he glared at her, his eyes fierce as they caught her own glare.

"You _will _talk to me about this, as it is _my_ fate, and not yours, we are talking about. I do not care that you are not a viking. The runes said first _man_ not first _viking_. You are still the only person who has ever defeated me, and _I_ am a viking. _I_ follow runes. _I_ follow the way of the viking. My runes have come to pass and I have no choice but to follow where they lead me."

Hiccup shook his head and let out a cold laugh. "Never took you for the fate type, but to each their own. And this Rider," he growled, pointing to himself, "did not fight you. Did not defeat you. You came at me and tripped over your own two feet." This was a lie, but he felt that she might drop it if she thought he had got lucky. He watched her as she frowned and looked away.

"I see. Then prove it to me." Her eyes snapped back to his and looked at him as if she was seeking the truth from his eyes.

"What?"

"Fight _me_ instead of my father. I will take his place in the ring, and I want you to prove you can't beat me. But I don't want you to hold back, so the thing you want will be on the line. If you lose, you leave. If you win you stay, but you have to admit to defeating me and take me as your bride, for I can have no other man than that of whom the runes spoke."

Shaking his head again, Hiccup reached up and rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger. "What makes you think I would possibly agree to that?" His eyes flashed to hers and he noticed the smile, the mischievous little smile that he had admired some three years ago. The same smile that made him shudder.

"Because you won't _have_ a choice. I know my father will allow me to take his place, as it will be a matter of his daughters honor."

The Night Fury in the rafters growled loudly and Hiccup shook his head disbelievingly. "Do what you want, but that doesn't mean that I will marry you. Get out of my house." With that, he turned his eyes from her.

Astrid shattered a bit at that. It had not been the words that got to her, but the tone; the cold, heartless tone. She stepped forward and reached out, wanting to hug him, to tell him how she really felt. That she wanted him to win. A growl caught her ears and she saw the little dragon on the table hissing at her. Clenching her hand, she let it drop. Then she turned and walked to the door.

Whispering so that only she could hear, she spoke into the door, "I'm sorry." Then, she was gone, the heavy door slamming shut behind her.

Toothless stared at the door thoughtfully. He had heard her last words. He looked down at his friend: Hiccup's face was emotionless, but his eyes where filled with pain. He dropped from the rafter. "Should we leave now?" he hissed. "We have been here too long, anyway. The Outcast will come looking for you any moment now."

Hiccup shook his head. "I do not wish to run anymore, never again." There was a long pause. Then, "Let's get some thing to eat and talk to my uncle and Gobber," he said.

Both dragons huffed their agreement and they left, Crimson riding on his shoulder and Toothless walking next to him.

"Try not to scare anyone, you two. I don't want to have to knock anyone's teeth down their throat."

Toothless gave his toothless grin. "We'll try."

Shaking his head, he made his way through the town and to the Feasting Hall. The eyes of every villager snapped first to the dragons, then to their owner. Hiccup merely ignored them and walked up the stairs leading to the hall. The doors were wide open and laughter could be heard booming from inside.

Stepping in, he smiled at the scene before him. Gobber was standing, thrusting his mug in the air like blade as he told the story of that time he fought a Zippleback. Spitelout sat next to his with several of the men and clapped his hands in excitement, enjoying the good story. Then they saw Hiccup, and the room fell silent, with only Gobber still talking until he noticed the silence.

'Maybe this was a bad idea,' thought Hiccup, before the booming voice of his uncle shot through the silence.

"Nephew! Come sit down, no reason for you and your dragons to freeze your hides off when we have that which warms you to your toes."

Smiling, Hiccup walked over.

Toothless happily trotted along, warbling teasingly, "Yes, Hiccup, let's see if The Great Dragon Rider can hold his liquor this time, or if he'll end up in a tree again."

"Don't worry, I won't be drinking," Hiccup glared playfully. "I think all three of us need my wits about us if we are to survive, seeing as you have none."

Toothless snorted. He gestured with his head and Hiccup looked at his uncle, who had a mug in one hand and was letting Crimson drink from it while laughing. Groaning inwardly, Hiccup walked over to the little dragon and picked her off the bench.

Spitelout was smiling widely. "It seems your dragon knows good mead when she smells it."

Hiccup put the little dragon back onto his shoulder with a little difficulty (it kept wanting off) and shook his head. "No, she's a little alcoholic. She will be a right Terror now."

The little dragon spread it wings out and puffed up it chest. "Crimson is not a alchwhatsit. I can quit whenever I want. I just don't feel like quiting tonight is all -hiccup-."

Shaking his head, Hiccup sat down, keeping a eye on the little dragon and listing to the stories the few men who dared to sit near him. Toothless sat behind him, curled up and watching out for anyone who tried to attack Hiccup's blind spot. Soon the light of day faded to the darkness of night, and Hiccup had listened to as well as told a lot of stories. He was in the middle of telling everyone who wanted to hear about that Grey Mist he had run into, when Fishlegs spoke from behind him.

"Hope I don't have to carry you home?"

Turning, Hiccup smiled widely at his friend and stood, picking Crimson up as he did. "No my friend, I am only drunk on good stories. I haven't had a sip of mead, thought I cannot say the same for Crimson. She is going to be wobbling around for the next few hours."

The little dragon hiccuped and rolled on the shoulder guard Hiccup wore, barely managing to cling to it with her tail.

"I see. Well, shall we? You have a big day tomorrow, seeing as you will be fighting Astrid now."

Hiccup sighed and shook his head. His good mood was gone. "Her father let her take his place? And the Elders allowed it?"

Fishlegs nodded."Yeah, they did. Seeing as it was a matter of honor and all that, they let her take his place. Can tell you right now most of the single male vikings where not happy that she was challenging you."

"Oh?"

Fishlegs smiled. "In all the months she has known, she has not challenged a single man. They have challenged her and, as you can probably guessed, she has beaten them all."

Hiccup nodded and sighed. "Yes, I saw that. I must wonder, though, why me?"

Fishlegs laughed and patted his friend on the back. "It could always be worse."

Hiccup looked over at his friend who was leading him from the hall. "And how could it get any worse?"

Fishlegs smiled. "You could be fighting both of them."

Hiccup made a face, but had to smile at what the drunk little dragon on his shoulder was hissing.

"Let them try to hurt the master! I will burn them to a cinder! I will wee in their helmets! I will..."

Toothless growled, interrupting her. "As drunk as you are, you would most likely miss and set yourself on fire. Now shut up, you are giving me an headache."

The little dragon began to growl, incensed, and Hiccup reached up and clamped the little mouth shut before she could let loose a bolt of crimson fire.

"That is _enough,_ you two," he chastized. "I don't want you two fighting, you might set one of these houses on fire and then we would all be in trouble."

Toothless rolled his eyes at this and huffed. "Oh, and that would be just horrible. What could they do, kick us out? Oh, wait! They are _already_ trying to do that."

Hiccup glared at his dragon and shook his head.

"Some thing the matter?"

Hiccup looked up and shook his head at his friend. "No, just their normal spat. As I said before, it's how they get along."

Fishlegs nodded and then stopped. Hiccup looked around, wondering why. Oh, he hadn't realized that they had already arrived at his house.

"You didn't have to walk with me."

Fishlegs waved the concern in his voice away. "Nonesense. I live a stone's throw away from you. And besides, this way I can make sure no-one attacks you and you don't run off into the night."

Hiccup smiled at his friend. "I... I'm not going anywhere 'till this is all sorted out. Even after it is, I will stick around for a while longer. It is nice to have a normal home again."

Fishlegs nodded and turned. "Well then, night, my friend. I'll see you in the morning," he greeted, walking to his door and waving as he did.

Hiccup waved back and waited until his friend was inside, then stepped into his house. The fire had long gone cold, but even though it was out, the house had a warm feel to it.

"Home sweet home," he relished.

With that, he made his way towards the bedroom, kicked off his boots and threw himself onto the bed. No furs lined it, but he had his own. He motioned Toothless over, too lazy to stand up again, and pulled his furs from the pack on the dragon's back. Then he pulled the saddle and the tail fin off of his friend and laid back down on the bed, throwing the furs on himself.

Toothless jumped onto the rafter in the room and looped his tail around it, hanging down like a bat. Crimson ran the length of the bed and curled up on her master's chest.

Hiccup let his eyes dip as he thought about the days events, then darkness took him and the cold chill of dreamless sleep wrapped around him.

* * *

He was jerked from his sleep as a boom reverberated through his house.

"What in Odin's name...?" he wondered, jumping from the bed and getting on his boots.

Toothless growled viciously as he landed with a loud thump and rolled over, slowly scanning the room with his eyes. "They're here!"

Hiccup growled to Crimson. "Up, we have work to do."

The little dragon leaped to her feet and waited for her master to get ready. Hiccup donned the armor of the Rider and strapped his sword to his hip, making sure he had his other weapons. He strapped the riding harness and the prosthetic tail-fin onto Toothless and all three headed for the front door.

The sound of fighting filled the night's air.

"They're here, the queen sent them."

Hiccup nodded sharply at his friend's growl and answered back, with a deep rumble of a growl and a frightening grin, "How unlucky for them. I guess I have no choice but to scare them away." Leaping onto Toothless, he gripped the saddle with his knees.

The Night Fury looked to the heavens. 'Thor guide my aim,' he thought. With that, Toothless shot from the ground, his large wings flapping in the night air as he rose above the fighting. Looking down, he watched the controlled dragons swoop in and carry off livestock and food. The fire from their throats lit the night sky.

Toothless and Crimson roared a battle cry, a challenge to all the dragons around them. Hiccup joined them, the roar of the Rider piercing the air.

Several voices rose to meet it.

"The Rider, kill him!"

"The Rider, the Queen wants his head!"

"Kill the Rider!"

Grinning, Hiccup pulled back on the harness and Toothless looped and flipped his body downwards. The sight of dragons rushing up to meet them as they charged down made Hiccup's heart race. Gritting his teeth, he growled into the night air.

"Now!"

A blast of blue fire bolted from the mouth of the Night Fury and shot through the night, aim perfect as it slammed into the shadow of a dragon, coloring everything near it a preternatural blue. The dragon howled as it fell. The blast had been a weak one, but it was still enough to stun the victim.

Hiccup crouched closer on his dragon's back and Crimson hissed and wrapped her tail around Hiccup's shoulder as Toothless tucked in his wings. The high pitched whine characteristic of an diving Night Fury pierced the battlefield as they plunged down to earth, the shapes of several dragons spread out before them.

Toothless grunted and turned, spinning as he rushed past a dragon. Coming out of the twist, he angled himself to the right and zipped past another dragon, then twisted once more and shot between the heads of a Zippleback. Toothless twisted and turned, dodging dragon after dragon, his wings still folded inward as he dove towards the ground. On the ground sat the dragon in charge of the raid, a massive Shadow Wing.

The dragon was rumbling a litany of "Hurry or the Queen with eat you for her dinner!"

"Aim for him!" barked Hiccup, "Take him out and all the dragons will flee!"

Nodding, Toothless let the full power of his blast build up. The tingle in his throat sparked to the front of his mouth and he released it: the blast had the speed of death itself as slammed home.

The Shadow Wing howled in pain as it hit the ground with a boom. "Night Fury!" it screamed as it rose to its feet.

Hiccup shifted the gear and brought Toothless down to a gentle landing in front of the Shadow Wing. Sliding from his mount's back, the young warrior stepped forward and growled at the dragon. "Go back to where you came from and tell your Queen that her time is short." Fang Biter, Hiccup's sword, shimmered in the cold night air, casting its blue reflection over him.

The dragon shot from the ground, "You will not live long Rider," it hissed, "the Queen will come for you."

Roaring, the dragons shot from the ground and fled as Hiccup watched them leave, sheathing his blade.

"Well, that was interesting."

Hiccup turned around. Standing close to where Hiccup and the Shadow Wing had been, was Old Wrinkly.

Hiccup smiled fondly at the little man. "Interesting is not the word I would have used. Now, please excuse me, Elder." Stepping around the old man, he made his way uphill towards the town center.

Toothless hissed around him as he prowled, feeling that the danger was not yet over. Crimson hissed as well, her eyes darting around, looking for the threat. As Hiccup approached the town center, the cries of dragons filled the night air and he ran towards them. Bursting around a corner, he stopped as he saw a dragon with four heads being held in a net by several vikings.

It howled and blew fire, ice, lighting, and gas into the night's air. The raiders had brought with them a dragon that the young Rider had met before, and this dragon had a name.

"Elemental."

The dragon's heads whipped around to face the boy and its hiss filed the night air. "Rider. Come to die at last?"

* * *

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon. New chapter, hope you enjoy. Thx to every one who reviewed usually I thank every one personally, but I don't have time at the moment as I am writing the next couple chapters. So I thank every one who add this to their fav's or subscribed.**

**Now I will say this now... This is not a Romance fic...that will come later :3 an with that peace.  
**


	7. Fated Fight

Chapter 5

Fated Fight.

The four heads hissed at Hiccup, sending small flicks of their respective breath-weapons at him. Toothless growled next to him and he patted the dragon's head restrainingly.

"Goodnight to you too, it's nice to see you doing so well. How's the Queen treating you, General Scales for Brains?"

The heads all hissed a string of curses that made Hiccup grin softly.

"Really now, is that the way a royal dragon ought to speak? I am sure you father would be ashamed of you."

Chuckling, the dragon lashed out, trying once more to escape. "You already know what happened to my father, Rider. The same will happen to you. I will kill you as well."

"Over my dead body," Toothless growled.

"And mine!" Crimson added dangerously, puffing up her chest.

Stoick had been standing nearby and walked over to see why his son was growling and hissing at the beast. "What is it, son?"

Hiccup turned to speak to his father, his eyes never leaving the enemy. "This monster... killed a friend of mine. A very close friend. It is one of the dragons that command the others in the name of the Red Death, the Queen of the nest that attacks you."

Stoick looked from his son to the four-headed dragon. "I have never seen a dragon like this," he admitted.

Hiccup nodded slowly, his eyes burning brightly with hatred. "He is a rare breed. You would only find his kind on the shores of the Roman Empire. It's a Hydra, and he goes by the name of Elemental."

Stoicks eyes widened in shock. "You've been to Rome?"

His son glanced sideways at him and smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. "Wherever there are dragons, I have been. I have had three years to travel this world, father, and considering that dragons are much faster then any ship, there are many places I have been to."

Stoick nodded and a loud roar brought both of them back to the problem at hand. "What do we do with it?" he asked, motioning to the Hydra.

Hiccup looked to his father disbelievingly. "_You_ are asking _me_?"

Stoick nodded sheepishly. "Yes, well, ah... You are, after all, the Dragon Rider, so I ask your opinion on this matter. And because you know this dragon and you seem to have a problem with it, you get to pick how we deal with it."

Hiccup nodded. "I will kill him. Let him go so he can fight. Toothless, Crimson, are you ready to kill the slayer of Swift Wing the Wise?"

Both dragons roared, their voices filling the night's air, and every human that heard it shrunk back with fear.

"You can't fight him yourself." Stoick was looking at his son and back at the dragon, a line of worry wrinkling his forehead.

"This is something personal, father and I will not let anyone but me kill him."

Stoick shook his head, still not quite following. "I thought you didn't kill dragons?"

Hiccup let out a cold laugh. "Father, that _thing_ is not a dragon, it is a monster. It kills for the fun of it, it tortures its victims... I would know, I have been one of those."

Stoick looked at his son, looked at the flame of hate shimmering in the boy's eyes like wild fire, but he saw his wife, saw the fierce gaze of the determined woman he had loved. His son had those same eyes now: the eyes of a man seeking justice in the world, a man who wanted to put things right. Reaching down, he patted the boy, no, man's shoulder. His son was not a child anymore. Somehow, in those three years he'd been away, his boy had grown into a man, and he was proud to stand behind him.

"Very well, son, do what you have to, but I make no promises about standing by, watching you get eaten."

Hiccup nodded and pulled his sword from his right hip, the cold metal gleaming blue as he pointed it at the dragon. He nodded at his father. "Let him go."

Stoick sighed heavily and bellowed: "Release the dragon!"

The men who held the net look at their chief in confusion but obeyed, letting go.

Springing away, the dragon roared and threw the net from its body. "That was stupid Rider. I will enjoy using you as a toothpick after I have had my fill of the humans around you.''

The world seemed to slow as the two watched each other warily. Toothless growled from Hiccups right and crouched low; Crimson hissed and puffed out her chest in challenge. And then the world started again, with a boom.  
A fireball shot at where Hiccup had been standing a split-second before.

The boy had rolled to his left, coming to his feet as he did, sword out and eyes on the dragon before him. Hiccup held out his arm, the black scales reflecting the moonlight. He flexed his hand and made a fist, and a click sounded, followed by the whirl of gears. The large scales split and formed a shield, smaller scales covering the gaps and metal, the same which his sword was made of, running under the scales.

A blast of boiling water shot at him and held up the shield, bracing himself. The blast slammed into it and Hiccup felt his toes bury into the ground under him as he was pushed back, gritting his teeth, hot water rebounding in different directions.

Hissing, the four heads lashed out. Dodging the first, Hiccup rolled forward, ducking under the the next. The third swiped at him, but luckily glanced off his shield. The last one rushed at him, mouth open. It was the head with the gas. Very few people remained alive after knowing what the gas did, and Hiccup was one of them.

He clenched his fist again, popping the shield closed, and he reached behind his back and pulled a bola from the pouch on his back. Jumping back, he spun the weapon with his wrist and, after a few solid turns, let it fly. It shot out and snapped taught, spinning in the air. Elemental saw it coming but was already rushing towards the boy. The cord struck home, wrapping around the head that breathed acid.

In the background, the vikings of Berk watched, eyes wide at the sight. Hiccup was winning, or at least not dieing, which was a novelty to them. Astrid could not draw her eyes away. She was worried, but this was a fight she could not enter. The chief had told every one (rather loudly, as well) to stay out of the fight, that his son asked this of them. Stoick himself was watching as if spellbound, his knuckles white as he gripped his hammer, wanting to step in.

Hiccup dodged another bolt of lightning and Toothless fired back, the blue bolt of fire hitting the four-headed dragon with a resounding boom. Elemental stumbled back and lost his footing, landing hard on his back. He howled and lashed out with his tail. Hiccup saw it coming and had just enough time to get his shield arm up. The tail slammed hard into him and he flew back through the air, crashing through a heavy door, shattering it. The young man slammed hard into the floor with a resounding _crack,_ pieces of door laying around him.

The sound of wings ripped into the silence of the night. Springing to his feet, Hiccup cried out in pain and gripped his shield arm. He had dislocated it, he could feel it. The pain running through his body was fresh and it sparked old memories; the image of Elemental and the torture he had endured flooded his brain and he forced the pain away as he stumbled out of the house onto the battlefield.

Elemental was gone. He could hear the laugh of the dragon's many heads far off in the distance.

"Damn it!" Hiccup hit the side of the wall with his left fist. Falling heavily onto the wall, he slid down slowly. His father and friends rush to see if he was alright, but he didn't want to face them. "Why...? Why can't I kill him...?"

"Because," Toothless huffed, "he's a coward and all he knows how to do is run, but eventually he will run out of places to run and then we will have him."

Hiccuped nodded slowly, his face still twisted in pain.

"Son! Are you alright?" Stoick the Vast bent down on a knee and looked at his son, more worried than he had felt in a long time.

"I'm fine, just a dislocated arm," Hiccup mumbled, not meeting his eyes. "I need it popped back into place. If someone would be so kind..."

Gobber had reached them and he smiled at that. Gripping the boy's right shoulder, the beefy man popped the arm back into place with a loud grunt. Hiccup gritted his teeth at the pain, making sure that no sound escaped his lips. His vision swam.

"That's going to be swollen in the morning. And very, very sore."

Hiccup nodded, still looking away. "I will be sore all over anyway, so nothing to worry about there."

Gobber looked away then back. "I hope you can still fight."

Hiccup tried to look around the people gathered before him, but couldn't see. "Why, is their another dragon?"

"Worse, a happy looking man whose daughter is suppose to mop the arena's floor with your face tomorrow."

"Thanks for reminding me," Hiccup sighed, leaning back and closing his eyes. "I am going to pass out now, please wake me when the Valkyrie comes for me."

* * *

Astrid watched as Hiccup was lifted by his father, the giant of a man turning and walking to Hiccup's house, followed by his brother. Fishlegs took the lead, Toothless walked next to them and Crimson fluttered behind.

A frown formed on Astrid's brow as she watched them leave. Hiccup had fought a dragon. Only, was he not suppose to _protect_ the dragons? What would make Hiccup so mad that he would fight something he was supposed to protect? She wanted to run after them and learn the full story, but seeing her father nearby made her stop.

She looked at him. The man was smiling widely, and she knew why. She was to fight Hiccup at noon, and his arm would still be hurting. She had guessed what had happened: a dislocated shoulder. The way he had nursed it showed that such a thing had happened before, which would lessen the pain, but it would be sore and swollen, making the arm slow and sluggish.

She looked away. She had promised herself she would not hold back, but now she wondered if she should.

"Odin... What should I do?"

* * *

Hiccup woke. His body hurt all over, pain running up his arm and back. He noticed that he was now bare chested, and he looked down at the many scars that ran across his lean frame. Groaning, he rose slowly and rolled his right shoulder testingly. Popping sounds caught at his ears as the pain of the action ran up his spine.

Groaning some more, he stood.

"Master, you're up! You should not be, you need rest!" fussed Crimson, floating in front of him.

Hiccup looked up to stare at the little dragon. "I'm fine, just sore." Then a sharp tap to his shoulder caused him to cry out. Whipping his head he glared at Toothless who smiled.

"Does that hurt?"

Growling Hiccup turned and walked away from the dragon. "Thanks for nothing, you useless reptile," he grumbled. He heard Toothless chuckle in his weird way.

The boy opened the door to his bedroom and found Stoick the Vast, Fishlegs, Spitlout, and Gobber sitting at the long table in his living area.

"You are holding a party in my house and did not invite me?"

Stoick leaped to his feet. "No, we were just waiting for you... What happened to your...?"

Hiccup didn't need to look to know exactly what his father was gesturing to. Slowly, he looked up. "That monster did this. He is... He killed a lot of innocent people as well as dragons. I have fought him many times and each time I have walked away with a new scar, but most of these are from 2 years ago, when I was still coming into my own as a Dragon Rider Swift Wing was the king of the dragons in this part of the world. He was killed..." He had to stop as his eyes clouded with anger. He bit his lip and clenched his fists, slowly regaining command of himself. "He was killed by his son, that _monster_, Elemental the Wise. He killed his father and imprisoned _me_ for the crime. I was tortured, but I managed to survive and escape. Then I drove him from the hidden Place of the Kings, and I have been hunting him ever since."

The crowed around the table stared at him in startled silence. Fishlegs was the first to break the silence. "They have a prison?"

Hiccup grinned. "Yes."

His uncle laughed and clapped his hands like a little child. "Now _that_ is a story I would like to hear!"

Stoick shook his head. "Sorry, brother, but the boy does not have time. He has a fight to get ready for, and I want to make sure he is fit enough to fight it." He looked at his son with concern. "Are you well enough, son? Or will you have someone take your place?"

Hiccup shook his head and stood tall. "I will fight my own battles, as I have for the last three years." He looked at his dragons with a smile, and added, "With some help, of course." Then he became serious again. "But this is my fight, just as the one last night, and I will see it through."

Stoick nodded slowly. "Very well, then I will go and inform the Elders." Turning, his father moved towards the door, then stopped. Look at his son, he smiled. "Good luck."

Hiccup laughed, "The only kind of luck I get is bad luck."

Stoick forced out a laugh and left. Fishlegs stood and picked up a bundle that sat in front of Gobber.

"Here," he said, "Gobber repaired your armor. A few scales were missing, so he replaced them with some that your dragon lost while in the cage."

Hiccup nodded and took the armor. A training sword also lay bundled with the armor. Running a finger down the dull blade the boy frowned at the memories that flooded back. Rome, Gladiators, and death.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

**Next chapter is up thanks to my co writer Pluma. An thanks for all the views, reviews and favs. **

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon.  
**


	8. Disowned

Chapter 6

Disowned.

It did not take long to get ready, but he found out that the weight of the gauntlet he used as a shield was too heavy for his right arm. He threw it on his bed and sighed; he would have to go in shieldless. Not the way he would have liked it, but he could still win. He looked at his right arm: the armor of his shirt stopped at his elbow and he could see a purple swelling slipping past the corners of his shirt.

"Great! I am going into the ring against a _psycho_ and I have no shield and a bummed arm. Just my luck." Sighing, he strapped the training sword to his hip and walked out of his bed room.

Only his uncle and Fishlegs remained waiting for him.

"Where is every one else?"

Fishlegs gave a forced smile. "Stoick went to get everything ready and Gobber went to make sure that no fights break out before you fight. A lot of bets going around, you know how that goes."

Sighing, he assented. The only things the Hooligans loved more than fighting were gambling and a good story. "Yeah, I know how that goes." He smiled back at his friend and gestured to the door with his head. "Shall we then? No need to delay this any further than we have to."

Fishlegs nodded and began to walk for the door. Spitelout followed, uncharacteristically quiet, glaring at the ground like the earth would fall apart under his feet if he wasn't staring at it.

"Some thing wrong, Uncle?"

The man raised his eyes, looking torn. "Snotlout, he... Well, you know."

Hiccup nodded sharply. "He hoped it would be him that would end up with Astrid. Do not worry, Uncle, even if I do win I will not marry her."

His uncle stopped and stared at him with wide eyes. "You WHAT? ...Why not? Are you crazy? She is the finest viking girl in all of Berk, and if I was younger and not married, I myself would have gone after her."

Hiccup laughed. "She is a great viking, sure, but I am a Rider. The rules of the world, let alone those of vikings, hold no sway over me. I will only marry out of love."

His uncle frowned, pensive. "And what are these rules of the Rider, that even the world doesn't hold sway over you?"

Hiccup's lips curled into a small smile as he keep trudging his way up to the arena. "Protect the weak, help thy friends, and uphold justice and truth, those are the only rules of the Rider. And seeing as I am the first, I will make sure to live by those rules."

His uncle shook his head. "And who placed these rules on you? Who made you the Rider?"

Hiccup's face darkened. "Swiftwing." He paused. Thinking about him _hurt_. "Swiftwing placed those rules on me. He was the one who first called me 'Dragon Rider', the one I would have served. But then he fell, so now I serve the world."

His uncle stared at him, his lips twitching as if he was unsure what to say next. Fishlegs was the one to break the silence. "So, you protect, like, _all_? You protect both humans and dragons?"

Hiccup nodded. "Swiftwing wanted to make sure that all the races of the world would be safe. Dragons do not wish us harm. They are the oldest of all the races, and even the ancient elves who now hide from man bow to the will of the Four Dragon Kings."

Fishlegs eyes widened. "Four dragon kings?"

Hiccup nodded absently. The arena was coming into view, distracting him. The spectators were restless, judging by their roars.

Toothless snorted behind him. "Methinks story time's over."

Hiccup smiled at his friend's phrasing. To his uncle, he said, seriously: "When I win, I will tell you more."

Both nodded at each other and Spitelout opened the gate to the arena for Hiccup. "Good luck," he said, "and, for what it is worth, I hope you do win."

Hiccup smiled tightly at him, but the smile was short-lived. He stepped into the arena with his head held high, wishing to be anywhere else.

Stoick stood and the roars died. He spoke loudly. "May you fight with honor and may Odin grant you his blessing!" As he sat, a horn was blown.

Hiccup finally looked at the girl before him. She stood in her normal armor, glaring at him smugly, a two-handed training axe in hand. Hiccup noticed, in the corner of his eye, that his dragons were watching him from the stands, seated on his uncle's right. He chuckled quietly at the irony of having a dragon watch a fight from outside the caged arena.

He pulled out the training blade from the sheath on his hip and he held it down, the dull tip about an inch from the ground. Astrid stepped to the right and Hiccup stepped to the left, and they circled each other. The eyes of his opponent, for that was what Astrid was to him at that moment, flashed with excitement, but Hiccup's stayed cold. He had fought these kind of fights for years, and he knew what real bloodshed was. He took no joy in fighting, even among friends, if Astrid could be called a friend.

She leaped at him first, the axe whistling through the air as it came down on his head. Skipping away, he twisted his blade and swung it low, aiming for her legs. She jumped and lashed out with her foot, but Hiccup managed to turn in time and her foot grazed his head. Though it was just a glancing blow, it still sent him staggering backwards. Hiccup shook his head to focus and got his sword up in time to block another downwards blow.

The blade of the sword met the axe with a dull clang, the usual ring of metal lost due to the lack of sharp blades. Hiccup glared into her eyes and saw there something he had never seen in them. Uncertainty. Like she was not sure what to do. Hiccup growled and shoved, sending the girl tumbling back. She rolled and sprung to her feet, charging at Hiccup. He swung, his sword aimed for her arm, but, with a growl, she caught the blade on her axe's handle and twisted.

The blade ripped from his hand and flew through the air, but Hiccup did not watch it. If he had had the use of both arms, she would never have been able to twist the blade out of his hands.

He strained to hear over the crowd that was now chanting for the girl, and his ears managed to catch the faint sound of the sword thudding on the ground somewhere to his left. Then he jumped back, Astrid's axe coming way too close for comfort. He needed to focus! Dodging another swing, he skipped away. He knew he would not be able to get back to his sword, not without somehow disabling Astrid for a moment or two.

She lifted her axe above her head with both hands and he saw his chance. Rushing in, he caught her by the arms. He saw her eyes widen and his right arm throbbed from the jerk she gave, startled, when he grabbed her. He smiled sweetly at her.

"Sorry," he said, not feeling sorry at all, and jerked his knee up into her stomach.

Astrid gasped and clutched her gut. Though she had an armored shirt on, nothing could stand up to dragon armor knee pads.

Seizing the opportunity, Hiccup whipped around and darted for where he thought his blade lay. Running for it, he heard a roar behind him and knew Astrid had already got over the little gut check. Diving desperately, he grabbed the hilt of his sword and rolled to his left. As he came to his feet, he managed to block, barely, the axe raining down on him.

He grinned at Astrid, then the grin was replaced by a yowl of pain. Hiccup had watched, almost as in slow motion, as Astrid twisted the axe's blade and hit him in his right shoulder with the handle. He stumbled back in pain, but more in surprise at the fact she would do such a thing, she would use a weakness against him. Of course she would, she was a viking. Why had he forgotten that...?

The growl that started low in his throat and slipped past his lips as a roar was a dragon's war cry. The audience went quiet; Astrid froze and stepped back a pace. Then, Hiccup charged her, his blade slamming into her axe and making her fell back.

Getting back to her feet while still blocking proved to be tricky, but she finally succeeded. She pulled back the axe and swung in a last-ditch effort, but Hiccup was no longer in front of her.

She felt the cold steel of the blade against her throat and Hiccup's warm breath against her ear.

"You lose. Drop the axe," he growled dangerously.

She did, overwhelmed. A cheer went up; not a big one, but enough that she could tell that some people where rather happy Hiccup would get to stay.

Then one voice boomed over the rest. "He cheated!"

The cheers fell silent and Hiccup looked at the man who had thrown such an accusation out in the air. Finran glared down at him. Hiccup stepped away from Astrid and slipped the blade into its sheath.

"And how did I cheat?" he asked, noticing that the beefy man's face was bright red. He would have guessed anger, but he could smell the stench of mead wafting off the man's breath. It was so heavy that it reached all the way down to the arena

A drunken fool.

"You used one of your dragon tricks to win, I saw it."

Hiccup gritted his teeth, he wanted to... He didn't get a chance to finish that thought as Astrid walked past him and planted herself in front of Hiccup, chest heaving.

"He did not cheat," she spat in the direction of. "Now _shut up,_ you drunken fool. Your actions show how stupid you really are and you _rub my honor in the dirt_ with your foolishness, so _shut up_!"

Every one was shocked. Astrid had never talked to her father like that. The oversized man seemed shocked for a second, then anger filled his eyes. The sound of people getting shoved out of the way caught Hiccup's ears. He wondered what was the man doing, then he got his answer.

Finran reached the door to the arena, grabbed the gate and tossed it upwards. "You little wench, I will show you how to talk to your father!" the man roared as he stomped in.

Hiccup looked back and saw Astrid, who had never shown fear, shrinking back, terrified of her father. Hiccup gasped as it hit him as strongly and painfully as Astrid's axe moments before: only one thing could cause this kind of fear was a abusive father.

Hiccup didn't have to think it twice. He stepped right in front of the man and held his ground.

Finran stopped and looked down at the boy in his path as if he was a flea. "Move aside," he growled, lifting his fist threateningly, "or I will make you m-argh!"

Hiccup had caught the man's fist and twisted the arm, hard, until something had snapped. He stepped back, seemingly calmly, and looked at the man.

"You broke my wrist!"

Hiccup glared down the warrior."You're lucky I didn't do worse."

The man shook his head and his eyes cleared a bit. The drunken stupor seemed to be wearing off. "You will pay for this, Rider."

Hiccup smiled coldly.

"If only I had a piece of gold for every time I've heard that... No, Finran, it is _you_ who will pay, if I ever see you near Astrid again. If she ever tells me you are harassing her, or if she doesn't and I find out anyway, I will come and find you and I will show you _pain_."

The lump of a man shrank away from the look the Rider gave him. 'Death,' he thought, 'this man is death'. He stood, clutching his wrist.

"I have no daughter, Rider."

The man turned and left the arena.

Hiccup turned to look at Astrid, who was as pale as snow. He sighed. He had meant to scare the man into not touching her again, but it had backfired. "Astrid, I'm-"

He didn't get to finish as she rushed forward and stormed past him, head bowed low. As she passed him, he thought he heard her whisper "thank you".

He turned and watched her go. The cheers from earlier were no more. 'No matter where you go, Hiccup,' he thought darkly to himself, 'you are cursed to bring misfortune to those you care for most.' He left the arena.

His father and uncle were waiting for him by the exit, standing with his dragons and friends. They looked at him and he just shook his head. After a few moments, he finally spoke:

"Father, can you go and make sure that she is safe? I would go myself, but I am sure she does not wish to see me."

Nodding, Stoick turned to do so, but looked back over his shoulder, a small smile on his face. "You did well, son. You showed that you are no longer a boy. Hiccup, you are the Rider, a man; and I am _proud_ of you."

Then he turned and walked away.

* * *

**Dedicated to Uncertain-Angel, from my co-write, because you stroked her ego.. Thank you for complimenting her on her work as my beta and editor.. I also thank you for the depth bit...**

**I do not own How to Train your Dragon.  
**


	9. Unwanted Guest

Chapter 7

Unwanted Guest.

Hiccup walked up to the hall with his friends and uncle in tow. They had all been silent after his father had left, but he felt the tension in the air. He _knew_ they wanted to ask him what he would do.

_What will I do_? he wondered as he made his way to his usual table. Would he run again? Or maybe he would...? He let the thought drop. For now, he would push his worries aside and he would talk to his friends and relax. His body still hurt and he wanted to just sit down and forget his problems if only for a little while.

He sat down, Fishlegs and Ruffnut across from him. When Spitelout came, laden with four mugs of mead, he sat next to Hiccup and handed the mead out. There was an uncomfortable silence as they sipped from their respective mugs.

Hiccup braced himself. He knew it was coming.

"So, what do you plain on doing?"

He still flinched a little. He looked into the murky liquid in his hand as if it held the answer to this problem. "To be honest, I don't know. I am glad I get to stay; that, at least, I know what to do about. But I know that is not what you meant." Hiccup's brow furrowed as he stared through the mead, not really seeing it. "I am not marriage material. Nor will I marry because some rock or bone with a symbol carved into it told a girl I was fated to her. I make my own fate."

_I have been doing that since the day I left,_ the others heard.

Hiccup looked up to see all of his friends staring at him with something like worry in their eyes. He smiled sadly at them. "Don't worry, I am not going to run away again."

Fishlegs and his uncle let out a sigh of relief.

Ruffnut, on the other hand, still looked worried. "What about what Astrid wants?"

Hiccup was shocked by this question. Astrid was as much an outsider as he had been, the only difference was she was the cool outsider whereas he had been the lame type. So the thought that someone else besides him cared about her in such a way caught him off guard for a second.

"Ummm... Well, I don't know. I can't say, I don't know the future. If I did, it would make life... easier."

Ruffnut nodded but said nothing as she stared at him. Hiccup sighed.

"What do you want me to say, that I want her, that I need her? I don't, I won't lie, I... I loved her, once ..." He looked away, his eyes far off as if he was remembering the past.

"Do you still lover her?"

Hiccup's head jerked back to look at Ruffnut.

"What does it matter? She doesn't love me, she is only worried about her fate!" he yelled, slamming his fist hard onto the table. Ruffnut didn't move, didn't flinch.

"Your friends are worried about you," Toothless grumbled at Hiccup in dragonese, "there is no reason to yell at them."

Hiccup sighed and gripped his hair. "I'm sorry. I just don't see why it matters if I love her anymore."

"Don't give me that. Just tell me, do you love her?"

Hiccup looked up and saw the soft look she was giving him. It was the look of a friend who wanted to help, but didn't know how.

He understood. "You... you want to be her friend, don't you?"

Ruffnut nodded slowly, her face was a bit red. "Yes, she always looked so alone. And, well, she always was looking at you."

Hiccup sat up, ramrod straight, his hands suddenly weak and falling from grip he'd had on his hair. "Looking at me?"

Ruffnut swallowed. "Yes. When you weren't looking, I would see her glancing at you. She also did other things, I can't believe you didn't notice. She never teased you, she would beat the Hel out of anyone who did. Many other things. I watched her because, well, I've always wanted to talk to her, not like I did when ever one was around, but as a friend. Like you and Fish. You two are so close that Fish refused to believe you were dead. That is how I want to be with Astrid."

She looked away, her eyes lost in the shadows of her bangs. After a few seconds she spoke again. "But she changed when you disappeared, you know? She changed. She threw herself into training even more, she pulled away from everyone. She no longer talked, the most we could get out of her was a grunt or a nod. Then her runes where rolled and she looked like a ghost. She went through the motions of living like something had been taken from her. I didn't understand then, but I think I get it now."

"What do you get?" Hiccup sat forward, his leg twitching nervously.

Ruffnut shook her head. "You will find out sooner or later. It is not my place to say."

Hiccup sighed and stood. He didn't want to talk about this any more. His friends watched him with the same look of worry in their eyes.

"I'm tired and sore, I need to rest. I will see you all later." He turned and walked from the hall. The murmurs about what had happened and what it meant caught his ears, and he wished that he had run the first chance he got.

On the way home, he couldn't stop thinking about what Ruff had said. Had Astrid been watching him, really? It made no sense, why would she watch him? He sighed again as he pushed open the door to his house.

It didn't matter now.

His mind was made up. He would rest up. Then, when he was well enough, he would be on his way again. The Outcast didn't take breaks, so he wasn't allowed them, either.

He was just slipping into a dreamless sleep when a loud knock at his door woke him. Standing, he looked around the living area and realized he had dozed off in front of the fire. His body hurt from the weird way he had been laying. Gripping the lower part of his back, he pushed and realigned his bones with several small pops and a pleasant feeling of slight pain. He walked towards the door, but it opened when he was only half-way there.

Astrid stood in the door frame with a small basket over her shoulder, silhouetted by the afternoon sun.

Hiccup cocked an eyebrow at her. "What are you doing here?" He really didn't want to deal with her right now.

She looked at him, then away and around the house, her face emotionless. Abruptly, she nodded and closed the door behind her. Then faced him once more, turning her emotionless gaze upon him.

"Which room is mine?"

Hiccups eyes widened with shock and his jaw fell a little. "Which room is what?"

"_Mine_. I am moving in, and before you argue with me, your father and the Elders approved."

Hiccup could feel his anger growing. This was _his_ house! By Hel, who did they think they were to tell him what he would and wouldn't do!

"Like Hel you are!" he shouted. He stormed over to the door and ripped it open. He glared at her, silently telling her to leave.

She did not move. Standing with her arms crossed, she shook her head in defiance. "You would put out on the street a woman who you basically swore to protect?"

"I didn't-"

She cut him off with her hand, holding it up to stop him from talking. "Then the threats to my father were nothing but empty promises?"

He shook his head, his wild hair whipping around with the fury of his shake. "No. I meant what I said, but that didn't-"

Again she cut him off. "If they were real, then what you said meant you are my protector, and, in that case, shouldn't the one you protect be close to you at all times?"

Hiccup just looked at her, his jaw clenched and his eyes wide. What was she playing at? What did she _want_?

He heard Toothless snort from the rafters. "She has a point."

Hiccup growled and glared daggers at the rafter shadows. "Not helping!" He then turned his gaze back to Astrid. "What is your game?"

Astrid looked offended. He wondered if she had always been this way, or was this a woman thing.

"I am playing no game. I am... I am just making you take responsibility for what you did."

"What I did?" Hiccup howled in rage. "What, help you?"

Astrid did not flinch back from him. She knew Hiccup would never hurt her. She almost smiled at his anger, so...

"I did not ask you for help, but now that you have given it, I will stay near you 'till the time I believe it is safe for me to leave your side."

Hiccup gritted his teeth. "What will you do when I leave for a quest then? Stay in this house and worry about your life?"

She placed her hands on her hips and Hiccup couldn't help but follow the movement. His eyes darted back up quickly, though, and he pushed the thoughts away.

"I will watch the house when you leave. Fishlegs has told me that he and Ruffnut will be sure I am safe."

Hiccup felt his eye twitch. _Is everybody conspiring against me?_ he despaired.

"Then go live with them. And anyway, why you would need them to protect you? After all you are the toughest female viking on the island, probably tougher than most of the men. So why are you arranging for people to protect you?"

Hiccup thought he had her, but she blew the hair out of her eyes and smiled.

"Because I can."

Then she turned and walked to the closest door. Opening it, she saw it was his room and then closed it. She went to the next door, opened it and walked in as if she was the owner of the house.

"Good night," she smiled, and closed the door.

Hiccup felt his right eye twitch."That damned woman," he growled in the dragon language. "What did I do to deserve this fate, Odin, _what did I do_?"

Toothless answered, a small chuckle in his growl. "You picked the strongest woman in the viking world to fall in love with, that is what happened."

Hiccup once more glared daggers into the shadows of the rafters, then turned to leave. He'd have a long talk with his father.

The door opened and slammed shut. Astrid stepped out into the living area and watched through the window as Hiccup walked towards the main hall. She looked up at the rafters and spotted Hiccup's dragon. She gave it a small smile.

The dragon huffed, glaring at her with luminescent green eyes, and rolled back over, turning its back on her.

* * *

Out upon the black waters, Black Bert watched, his black electric-looking beard sticking out in all directions. Berk had slipped from his grasp this time, but he would get it back, and then his boss would welcome him back with open arms.

He turned his gaze on his new first mate. The whole crew was new. He had been the only one to survive the attack on Berk.

"Throw it in," he ordered.

The first mate nodded and turned as the little bird on the man's shoulder bobbed his head and cawed "toss it in the depths, heav' ho, heav' ho."

The little man ran and gave the orders. Two burly pirates walked towards the rail, holding in their hands a black box as big as a man and shaped like a coffin. Bert nodded and the men heaved the box over the edge. He smiled, watching the box float towards Berk.

"Let the game begin."

* * *

Hiccup stood in the hall, the anger on his face plain as day. His father looked away from him, a bit scared. His boy looked ready to murder the first person that crossed him.

Stoick turned his gaze back on him. "Son, there is no reason to yell. The Elders and I thought it best that she stay with you. After all, you did say you would protect her."

The anger in his son's eyes flared. "Father, when did I say I would protect her? When did I use those words?"

His son's voice was no more than a whisper, but it held a hard edge that hinted at what Hiccup was holding back.

Gothi spoke, her voice calm and a hint of merriment to it. "But Hiccup, you swore you would hurt her father if he so much as looked at her, is that not claiming to protect her?"

Hiccup gave the Elder the dirtiest look he could muster and opened his mouth to speak, but the old woman seemed to know what he would say next and she interrupted him.

"And it is well know that she is very strong, but a hero never goes back on his word. Nor, I would think, does a Dragon Rider."

Hiccup closed his mouth and scowled at the old woman who just smiled at him. _Is this a joke to you?_ he wondered, disgusted. "Fine, she can stay, but I don't have to-"

He was interrupted by yells coming from the entrance. Hiccup turned, ready to fight, but he saw Snotlout and Dogsbreath running through the hall entrance, carrying a large black box over their heads.

Stoick stood and bellowed. "What is the meaning this? You dare barge in on a village leaders meeting?"

Both men stopped, looking uncomfortable, but Snotlout spoke when he saw his own father looking at him in question. "Uhhmmm, I... I mean, _we _found this in the harbor." They walked forward and sat the box on the ground before the chief.

Hiccup looked down at it distractedly and his eyes widened. "Don't touch it!" he yelled.

Stoick looked at his son then stepped away from the box as Hiccup crouched and read the golden runes. Whatever it said, it was written in Ancient Dragonese.

"What is it, son?" Stoick watched over his son's shoulder.

"It's the coffin of Grim Beard the Ghastly."

Every one was quiet, then the silence was broken by a loud murmur that ran around the room.

"Son, how do you know this?"

Hiccup rolled is eyes. "Because that's what it says there," he pointed the golden rules. "That's the language of the ancient Dragons."

More murmurs ran around the room.

"Why would that be on Grim Beard the Ghastly's coffin?"

Hiccup shook his head. "I don't know, but I do know that it is booby trapped." Hiccup read aloud: "Beware those who disturb my sleep, for I shall come down on them with my black steel and sunder them in two."

The room went silent at the warning.

Hiccup reached down and touched the coffin. "But it looks like it has already been opened..." He turned his gaze to Dogsbreath and Snotlout, asking silently.

Both of them shook their heads. Dogsbreath said, "We didn't open it, just brought it up here for the Chief to look at."

Hiccup nodded, a thoughtful expression oh his face.

Stoick walked over and knelt down next to his son. "Is it safe to open?"

Hiccup answered after a few minutes of silence. "No, this shouldn't be opened." Feeling less than kind eyes on him, he looked up to see Snotlout glaring at him. "Is there a problem, cousin?"

Snotlout huffed and walked towards him, his fist clenched. "Yes, there is a problem, _cousin._ Me and Dogsbreath found it, so why should we listen to you, outsider? _We_ found it, so we get to decide what happens to it."

Old Wrinkly spoke up. "I think Hiccup is right, it should not be opened, the warning is there for a reason."

Stoick nodded, but one could see that the big man wanted to know, just as the rest of them, what was in the coffin.

"Do what you like," Hiccup sighed in defeat. "Like you said, it is yours. I'll just be over there. Call me when you open it and things go wrong." He walked to a dark corner, frustrated that he hadn't been able to sort out his Astrid issues, and watched the argument begin.

The two who found it repeated that they had the right to do what they wanted with it. The Elders said that, while this was true, they felt that it was to big of a risk. Hiccup watched them argue back and forth for several minutes; then, bored, he turned his attention back to his father.

The viking chief was quietly looking at the box and Hiccup could tell exactly what he was thinking. "Not a good idea, not a good idea," Hiccup whispered to himself, wishing he could think it into Stoick's head.

But it wasn't to happen. His father's curiosity got the better of him. The viking chief stood and walked over to the coffin. "I say we open it, as well. The boys are right, we are not weak vikings, nor are we stupid. We have every right to whatever treasure is in here and no warning will scare us off."

The murmur that had started now stopped and many where nodding their heads in agreement.

Hiccup whispered "not a good idea, not a good idea," to himself once more, but knew that if he voiced his opinion, his father would just brush it aside. He'd rather be close to make sure none of them got killed when something went wrong than be told to leave because he had argued with his father. Why, the mighty Stoick the Vast, listening to Hiccup, the runt of the litter? Whatever gave you that idea? _I should have known it was too good to last_, he thought bitterly.

He watched with dread as Stoick reached down. The giant of a man pressed the clasps with his meaty thumbs and lifted the coffin's lid slowly. It open with a eerie creek.

Hiccup pushed himself off the wall and uncrossed his arms, ready for whatever would happen.

"Well, he doesn't look so bad for a dead man." Spietlout was looking down into the coffin. He looked up at Stoick. "He doesn't look much like us, does he?"

Stoick shook his head in response. "No, he doesn't."

Hiccup did not move as Snotlout reached down. He knew what his cousin was going to do, he just knew. He loosened his sword in its sheath and crouched slightly, holding the pommel, ready to jump in.

Snotlout poked whatever was in the box.

All Hel broke loose.

The corpse sat up and screamed. His father jumped back quickly, his uncle stepped away and fell hard on his rump, Dogsbreath and Snotlout turned ghostly white and did not move. Almost everyone else that was watching let out a great scream of terror and backed up. Only Hiccup, Old Wrinkly and Gothi where calm.

Gothi slammed her walking stick on the ground, trying to draw everyone's attention. "Silence, please! Don't worry, this is not the corpse of Grim Beard."

Hiccup watched as the room went quiet. The man who was not the corpse of Grim Beard the Ghastly smiled in relief and nodded, sea water dripping from his mouth as he coughed. Hiccup got his first look at the man and he felt a shiver run up his spine.

"Not good, _definitely _not good."

* * *

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon... Okay I thought I would answer some questions that you, the reviews have asked.**

**Zero asked about the Four Dragon Kings, and if they will be in this story, they will be mentioned a bit, but they are not the focus. They will play more into later Fic's that I will write for this series. **

**Zero also asked about Elemental...He was some thing I was working on a long time ago and thought it would me for a interesting plot twist...**

**Okay a few question's where asked of me through pm...so I will not name the people who asked these questions.**

**Did Hiccup upgrade Toothless' tail fin with the Lava Lout's material...the Answer is yes he did, but I will not be covering that in this fic.**

**Next is about Hiccup's sword. Fang Biter, is made from a large fang, it was melted down and forged by him. There is another Sword that will show up in later chapters, this one has a back story as well, which again i will not cover in this Fic.**

**How did Crimson join up with Hiccup, this is some thing that I will touch on in another Fic that I am already working on.**

**That is all the questions, if you have any more, ask away, I will answer the best I can, I don't want to give to much away.**

**An yes if you where all wondering, I plan on writing the rest of the books into fic, following this one, and I am working on three fic's that will take place during the years Hiccup was missing from Berk. **

**The title's of the books in order of years, are:**

**How to be a Dragon Rider.**

**How to Escape a Dragon Prison.**

**How to be a Gladiator.**

**These three will be prequals to How to be a Pirate. I hope you look forward to them, but for now I will finish How to be a Pirate and deside if I want to do the Prequals first or continue with the series.**

**And Thank My Lovely Beta/Co-writer: Pluma**

**-writer out-**

**-Ark-D-gun-  
**


	10. The Poor but Honest Farmer

Chapter 8

The Poor but Honest Farmer.

The man was tall and his dark hair, including his mustache, was sopping wet. He had incredibly pale skin, but Hiccup guessed that was from being locked in the box with sea water. The man was handsome, if the giggles and blushes of most of the women in the room were anything to go by.

Hiccup did not move forward. Instead, he slipped further into the shadows. The man looked friendly enough and he had a small grin on his face, but his eyes... The eyes told a different story. This man was not to be trusted, and Hiccup had the feeling that it was best if the man did not know who he was.

"Who are you and why were you in the coffin of Grim Beard the Ghastly?" asked Stoick.

The tall man coughed once more, then smiled at Hiccup's father. "I will tell you all, but can I please sit first? I am feeling very tired from my little trip."

Stoick nodded and pulled a chair up for the man. "Of course."

The man sat. He was stricken with yet another bout of coughing, and bent down under its force. When he finished, he straightened and looked around. Hiccup noticed as the man's eyes fell on Snotlout and he smiled.

"And who are you, son?"

The young man puffed his chest out. "I'm Snotlout."

Hiccup rolled his eyes at his cousin. How could he not feel the wrongness of the man? Something was definitely off and Hiccup didn't like it. It was that _smell_ in the air, the smell of death, and it wasn't from the man that had been sleeping in the coffin.

The man turned his head back to Stoick and smiled. "I, my friend, am Alahan, the poor but honest farmer, and as to why I was in the coffin, well, that is a bit of a tale."

Hiccup would bet his armor it was a false tale.

"Well, you see, I was on my way to Berk, when -"

Stoick smiled at the man and clapped him on the shoulder. "This _is_ Berk, my friend."

The man nodded slowly as an olily smile that almost reached his eyes spread on his face. "Then that means you are Stoick the Vast."

Stoick nodded with a grin on his face. "Yes, I am."

Hiccup saw the flash in the man's eyes and he sunk farther into the shadows, watching, waiting.

"Then I am safe! The Meatheads dumped me into this coffin and declared me a thief, which is absurd."

Old Wrinkle looked the man up and down, his face was emotionless but Hiccup could see the suspicion in those old eyes. "You say the Meatheads dumped you in the sea. They must have good reasons for doing this."

Stoick shook his head with a sigh. "Mogadon the Meathead is not the friendliest fellow in the Viking world."

Old Wrinkle shook his head but said no more as Stoick pulled up his own chair.

"Now, why is it that old Meathead threw you in the box?"

Alahan smiled that sly grin that made Hiccup shudder. He felt like he knew this man from somewhere.

"Ah, well, I went to them for directions, when they saw the coffin they asked me about it and I told them the story. Well, they didn't like it, so they tossed me in the drink."

"And what was the story?"

Hiccup looked at his cousin who was watching the man with wide-eyed wonder. He smiled: it appeared that Snotlout, just like his father, loved a good story.

"I'm glad you asked, because this has something to do with Berk."

Every one shifted closer then. Hiccup felt that even he had to step closer if he wanted to hear, but he didn't.

The man spoke in a clear, loud voice. "I was once a poor but honest farmer, minding my own business, when one day, as I was digging up a new field for potatoes..."

A few murmurs went through the crowed. Potatoes: the plant that was not to be named. _Interesting_, thought Hiccup.

"...when I struck this," the man knocked his knuckles against the coffin. "Well, not knowing what it was, seeing as I don't know what those golden runes said, I opened it," he held up his right arm for all to see: his hand was missing, in its place was a metal cap with a slit in it, "an' it clamped down with such force that it cut off my hand."

All the Vikings in the room grimaced.

"Sorry about that," apologized Stoick, "my great grandfather had a bit of a nasty side to him."

Alahan shrugged it off. "Nothing to be sorry about, it comes in handy to crush walnuts. Anyways, I opened it again, this time disarming the trap, and I found a map and a riddle in the chest."

Stoick frowned. "No treasure?"

Alahan shook his head fervently. "No, but, like i said, I did find a treasure map, so I thought you might want it."

It was Gothi who spoke next. "And why would you bring this to us?"

"It would be dishonest," he answered, with a small smile, "if I did not bring it to the people who the treasure rightfully belongs to."

Hiccup's eyes narrowed. No one was that nice, not even him.

"That and the riddle."

They all looked at him with excitement in their eyes.

"On wings of death he does fly, fire at the command of his beckoning hand.  
He is the heir to my throne, and he whispers to the dragons of old. His dragon shall find my treasure, his right, through the wind of the skull, below the sea, hidden in stone."

Alahan unfolded the map and presented it to Stoick, who read off the top of the map: "Skullion Island."

A murmur ran around the hall. Hiccup growled gently. Skullion Island was a dangerous place, no-one with half a mind would go. But he was forgetting that, in this room, brains weren't in high supply.

"Seems dangerous."

Hiccup smiled. Leave it to his uncle to point out the obvious. But he was glad for it, at any rate, for if his uncle thought it was a bit risky then his father would think it twice.

"Yes, it does," agreed Stoick, against his will. "Alahan, we will have to talk about this tomorrow. Tonight, you shall stay as my guest."

Alahan the poor-but-honest-farmer nodded. "That sounds just fine, I could use a good night's sleep." The man stretched, standing up.

Stoick looked to the shadows where he, like everyone except Alahan, had noticed his son slip into. If he wanted Hiccup's opinion, he'd have to get rid of their unexpected guest first.

"Gobber will show you to the guest quarters." His look spoke volumes to Gobber.

The beefy Viking nodded, hobbling over. "This way. I'll be back after I tuck the wee farmer in, so don't break out the mead 'till I get back."

Hiccup smiled at the wording. What Gobber was really telling his father was "don't go talking about all the fun stuff without me".

Gobber hobbled out of the hall with Alahan right behind him. As soon as the door closed behind them, Hiccup decided it was safe to come back into the light and joined his father and uncle.

They looked at him, brimming with questions.

His uncle was the first to ask, "Well?"

"I don't like it, there is something wrong with his story. And I have a feeling that he is someone we will have to watch closely if you plan on doing this."

Stoick nodded slowly his face twisted in thought. "I feel that this must happen. If not us, then someone else will find it. And this Heir business, it makes no sense. Wings of death, fire in hand, what kind of heir is that?"

Hiccup shrugged. "I don't know. For all we know, he made up the poem himself. But this one line, 'through wind of the skull', I think it means that a _dragon_ must sniff out the treasure."

They all nodded at this and then they all look expectantly at Hiccup, who sighed.

"Yes, I get it. Only one with a dragon, and all that. You need my help, don't you?"

His uncle smiled and his father nodded and smirked.

"Why, do you have something better to do? Maybe woo the young Viking girl that has pushed herself into your house."

Hiccup whirled to see Gobber hobbling back in with a large grin.

"You put them up to this didn't you?"

The big blacksmith smiled innocently. "I would never do such a thing! But, you know, if I happened to mention to the Elders that your house would get dusty with you away and it might be a good idea that you have a woman, well who can say that it was my fault?"

Hiccup sighed in defeat.

* * *

Hiccup pushed his door open and stopped at what he saw. Astrid had Crimson on her back playing with a small plant called a Cat's Tail, which gave off a smell that all dragons loved.

He heard the little dragon hissing happily, "Play, give, give, I will get it."

Hiccup felt torn. On one hand, he was happy that a Viking could play with a dragon without using the distraction to kill it, but, on the other hand, he felt like snatching Crimson back and yelling "Get your own dragon! And your own house, while you are at it!". Instead, he walked all the way in and shut the door loud enough to be heard.

Astrid looked up, the smile that had been on her face slipping into a frown. Crimson turned and growled happily before she jumped from the table and landed on her master's shoulder.

He did not growl or flinch when the little dragon dug her claws into his shoulder, the armor protect him. He petted the little dragon and looked at Astrid with narrowed eyes. "Having fun, are we?"

She was looking at the Cat's Tail. "Yes, we were."

Getting over himself, he nodded and hissed at the little dragon. "Go on and play with her some more. But _quietly_, I'm tired and want to sleep now."

The little dragon jumped from his shoulder with a happy purr and landed on the Viking girl's, rubbing her head against the girl's cheek. Hiccup walked towards his door and greeted Toothless, who had dropped from the rafters, with a pat on the shoulder.

"You're not going to kick me out?"

He turned his head to look at Astrid. "No. Turns out everyone thinks I made a oath to protect you from anything, not only your father. I never go back on my word, whether I gave it or people only think I gave it. Besides, I will need someone to look after the house when I am not here. You can make yourself useful."

Astrid didn't say anything and Hiccup went into his room with Toothless, closing the door behind them. Leaning on the door, he whispered:

"Goodnight Astrid. Crimson, keep her safe."

* * *

Hiccup stood with his arms bound by heavy chains. He heard the hiss of dragons around him, all begging to be set free. His body felt tired as he leaned heavily against the rock in front of him. The voice of his hated enemy shot through the dark and struck the boy like a cold wind.

"Sixth day and still alive. You are strong, Rider."

Hiccup glared at the four-headed monstrosity. "And you are a coward," he spat. "If I ever get out of here, I will kill you for what you did to your father."

The four head dragon laughed, its tail whipping around and striking him hard in his legs. Hiccup did not cry out, but he bit his lip hard enough to draw blood, to dull the pain in his legs.

"You will never leave, Rider, you will stay here and die slowly. Ah, and here is the entertainment for the day."

Hiccup turned his head and saw a dragon with a collar on its neck. Its talons were red hot.

Hiccup's eyes widened. "No..."

The four headed dragon smiled, all four heads showing off their wickedly sharp teeth. "Yes, brother."

Then the dragon with the red hot talons reached out and the smell of burning flesh caught the air and Hiccup screamed, and suddenly he found himself looking into the eyes of a Valkyrie.

* * *

**I do not own How to Train Your Dragon..oka just a quick note, Alahan is Alvin, why the change of name, well to be honest my beta can't work when she is giggling, and that name makes her laugh, cause all she can see is the Chipmunk Alvin...sighs... that an I like Alahan more, it sounds well more evil, so I went with it.**

**Last thing to note, I usually am not one to advertise my opinion on things, but I must on this..If you have not seen _Brendan and the secret of Kell_ THEN GO SEE IT NOW! Rent it, buy it I don't care what you do just go see it, trust me it is worth it...**

**-Writer out-**

**-Ark-D-gun-  
**


	11. Marks of a Traitor

Chapter 9

Marks of a Traitor.

Astird heard the yelling and stormed out of her own room, a blanket wrapped around her naked body and her hair loose. Crimson was ahead of her, the little dragon scratching at Hiccup's door as the blood curdling scream came from behind it.

She hit the door, and growled as she bounced off it. He had bolted the door shut. She growled and stepped back. Who ever was hurting him would pay with their life. She hit the door with her shoulder and the bolt snapped, the door slammed opened. She looked for someone, but saw no one, just Hiccup curled in a ball his screams a sob now as he thrashed around in his bed. She ran to him and threw her self down, gripping him tightly she spoke softly in his ear.

"I'm hear your safe, your safe, wake up, nothing can hurt you, I'll protect you."

Hiccup stopped sobbing and he rolled in her arms, his eyes flicked open to show a dazed expression. His voice was sad as he spoke.

"Valkyrie?"

Astrid felt herself blush, then she noticed he blinked and the dazed expression left him.

"Astrid?"

She nodded slowly and sat back as he pushed himself up. His eyes flicking to her, then away.

"Why are you here?"

She did not speak, her eyes where fixed to his body, the top half was full of scars, they twisted and turned all over and there seemed to not be a inch of untouched skin.

"What did they do to you." Her fingers reached out and she touched a very long scare that ran down his chest. He shuddered and gripped her hand, pulling it away she looked up at him. His eyes where hard once again, the same eyes that he had when she had fist seen him after his three years away. The hurt and the pain, but his spirit was still strong, what ever had happened the beast who did this could not break him.

"Go back to your room."

She shook her head.

"No, not till I know what happened to you."

He stood then and she was glad that he had his pants on, though some part of her wanted to... she blushed at the thought and pushed it away. She then gasped at what she saw on his back. Carved into his flesh was two dragon wings, torn and broken. The flesh had the marks of burning on them and the edges of the skin where smooth as if the carving had been done with something sharp and hot. She stood and walked over to him and let her hand fall on his back. She felt him go ridged at her touch, like and animal ready to run.

"What happened Hiccup, what is this, who did it." The sadness in her body echo out in her voice, and Hiccup did not pull away this time. He spoke his voice shaking.

"It is the mark of a Dragon Traitor, I was given this mark when I was in the.. when I was jailed by Elemental."

His voice was soft, but held so much pain, Astrid wanted to pull him close to hold him, but told herself not to, she had to be strong.

"Why?"

Hiccup turned now his eyes where dark and his voice dripped with hatred.

"He claimed I killed his father, I...I was crowned a Dragon Prince."

Astrid's eyes widened.

"But your human."

He nodded slowly.

"That is true, but Swiftwing took a liking to me, and I him, he was the.. he was a father figure to me."

Astrid watched as his eyes shimmered, a small tear threatening to spill out. She herd her self yell to hug him, she pushed back the feeling and waited for him to gather himself.

" I was crowned the Dragon Rider that day as well as a true son to the throne, and place second in line. His first son Draco was first, and a great friend to me. He was happy when he heard, but Elemental was not, he.. he killed his father then his brother and pinned the blame on me. I never knew that a dragon could be evil, I was always sure they where a force for good."

He gritted his teeth as he turned his head away from her.

"But he was under the Queens control, the Red Death, she wanted the king dead so she could expand her hunting grounds. That is how I got this mark, I was given it to remember my failing as a dragon."

Astrid gritted her teeth.

"But you aren't a dragon, you are Hiccup, the Rider, the Dragon Whisper, the only Viking to fly on a dragon."

Hiccup looked down his eyes still hard.

" I was never a Viking."

He then pushed her away gently and walked back to his bed.

"Leave, I have no more stories to tell, I wish to be alone."

She stepped forward her hand out.

"Your not alone, and I don't want to leave you."

He did not turn, his voice grew hard.

"Go."

Astrid turned and walked through the door to his room, she looked back at him over her shoulder. He was still sitting, his back never moved and she felt her anger grow, let that monster show his ugly four heads, I will tear his wings from his back then show him the same kind of pain that he showed... She let the thought drop as she walked back to her room. Crimson hissed at her and she reached down picking up the little dragon, it licked a tear from her cheek and she whispered to the dragon.

"How can I save him, how can I show him that he is not alone, that I love him."

Hiccup did not go back to sleep, instead he stood and got ready. He hung his black scale shirt up on the make shift holder he had made. He then pulled out a leather set of armor. It was made of a thick leather that was flexible and nearly weightless. He did not need all the protection that his dragon armor could provide. Slipping the armor on he ran his fingers down it, it ran the same length down his body as his dragon armor and he wrapped his brown leather belt around it. The many pouches blending in with the same colored armor. He pulled a brown hood from a bag that hung on the wall. He attached the hood and wrapped a brown scarf around his neck.

Pulling on his boots he then pulled an metal covered arm guard on, the metal links where made of dragon steel. They ran up his arms like the black scales he usually wore. They where heavier and his arm still hurt from the day before, but he would need it if they ran into the dragons on the island. He then slipped a small brown brace around his left wrist. It was as long as his forearm, he adjusted it, then flicked his wrist, a blade as long as his hand shot out and he looked at its gleaming edge. A trick he had learned in Rome.

The thought of Rome stirred the old memories of the Colosseum. He gritted his teeth and pushed the thoughts away and slide the blade back in and wrapped a cord around the spring so it wouldn't shot out till he snapped the leather cord.. He then walked over to a two handed blade that lay in the corner, he had not strapped Fang Biter on his hip. He reached out and pulled the sword from where it sat and strapped it to his back. The long blade was hidden by it sheath that was wrapped in leather. Toothless growled.

"Your taking Flame Tongue?"

Hiccup nodded with a small grunt.

"Yes it served me well the last time I used it and I feel that it is needed again."

The dragon huffed and walked over, nudging his tail-fin and saddle.

"Not this time, I need you to stay and watch out for Astrid, I don't want to leave her unprotected."

Toothless growled his protest.

"You can't think that I will just lie here and baby sit the girl."

Hiccup looked at his dragon, his friend, and Toothless saw the worry in his eyes.

"I see, I will stay then, I guess you are taking Crimson with you then?"

Hiccup nodded trying to put on a smile as he did.

"Yes, I think it is best you two where not left alone with her, Odin knows what she might teach you both if I leave you alone."

Toothless laughed and rolled his eyes.

"Don't you mean what we might teacher her."

Hiccup laughed then walked towards the door.

"True."

He pushed open his door and walk to Astrid's, he pushed and it opened slowly, poking his head in he smiled, the girl was wrapped up in furs with the little red dragon wrapped up next to her. Who would of thought that Astrid would charm his little Terror. Hiccup hissed softly and watched as Crimson poked her head up, blinking the little dragon moved with out waking the Viking girl. The little dragon walked to him and crawled up to his shoulder. Hiccup looked down at Toothless who nodded and walked into the room. Curling up on the floor he huffed.

"Toothless baby sitting serves, now on active duty."

Hiccup smiled and turned, closing the door he walked to the front of the living area, then he pulled his hood up and slipped into the morning hours.

* * *

**Hello folks sorry for the long delay, things have been abit...awal here, this is a rough copy not edited as my editor is busy so enjoy...**


	12. A Plan

Chapter 10

Plans

Walking towards his uncle home he passed many people, none looked at him as he slipped between them, he had learned how to move silently, not every thing could be done in the open. He reached the door and knocked, pulling it open Spitelout look down at his young nephew.

"Come in."

Hiccup nodded and stepped into the little house, a women walked in, her arms caring a heavy basket, she smiled wide at the sight of Hiccup.

"Hiccup!"

Racing over she gripped the boy in a bear hug that felt as if it snapped his ribs.

"Hello Aunt Rasta, can you please let me breath." He wheezed as she sat him down.

He looked at his aunt and smiled, the women had not changed, her long blond hair tied up and her sparkling blue eyes shimmered with excitement. His aunt wasn't from Berk she in fact was a clan's women to the Bog Burglers.

"I have been waiting for you to stop by."

"Oh?"

She smiled and nodded her head, she raced out of the kitchen. Hiccup looked to his uncle who just shrugged. His aunt raced back into the room with a dark cloak. She walked over and wrapped it around him, and smiled at her handy work.

"Good it will fit just fine, its been so weird not being able to make cloths for you...Its good to see you home Hiccup." He smiled, his aunt had been making his cloths since his mother had passed, and he had always looked forward to picking up his cloths, his aunt was a mother figure to him. With a grunt the door to a upstairs room was pushed opened and Snotlout stomped his way down the stairs.

"Mom...What is he doing here?" Snotlout pointed at Hiccup with a growl.

"Didn't know we where letting Outcast into are house."

Hiccup gritted his teeth and didn't say anything, but his eyes said all that need to be said and Snotlout flinched back.

"Snotlout, how dare you speak to your cousin that way."

Hiccup looked at his aunt and pushed back his hood shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it, he is entitled to his own opinion."

"Yes, thats right Useless, I am, now I am on my way out before your filth rubs off on me."

With that Hiccup's cousin walked from the house slamming the door behind him.

"Sorry about that."

Hiccup sighed and turned.

"I will see you later, Uncle will you be at the meeting?"

Spitelout nodded a small sad smile on his face.

"Yes, I will see you there."

Hiccup waved at his Aunt then left as he did he pulled his hood back up, the meeting wasn't something he was looking forward to at the moment.

"Trying to hide?"

Hiccup turned and found the smiling form of his friend Fishleg, with Tuffnut next to him. The blond man smiled and nodded.

"If he is, hard to do it with that roman armor on." Hiccup looked down at his leather armor.

It was Roman leather, and only a fellow leather worker could tell the difference.

"Good eyes."

Tuffnut smiled.

"Thanks, I am a leather worker after all, can't just kill things for a living, which sucks but hey someone has to do the boring stuff right. So who made this for you?"

Hiccup gave a crooked grin.

"I made it."

He watched as Tuffnut's eyes widened.

"You made it, is there any thing you can't do?"

Hiccup went to say something but was cut off by a rough voice.

"Yeah, he can't be a Viking."

Hiccup turned to see four boys glaring at him, his cousin, Dogsbreath, Clueless, and another boy he had not yet meet. The speaker had been Snotlout. His cousin walked down, his three friends walking around with him at the lead.

"I'm surprised that you would talk to him Tuffnut, but seeing as you and the Fish are good chums now that he is with you crazy sister. Sad really, to think my dad had to turn down yours, and Fish was the second pick, oh well who really would want to marry someone that crazy."

Hiccup saw Fishlegs eyes narrow and he stepped forward his two handed hammer gripped in his hands, so tightly that his knuckles turn white.

"You want to say that again, cause I'll be more than happy to knock you head from your shoulders."

Hiccup saw the red glare that filled his friends eyes, and as much as he felt that Snotlout deserved his head ripped off, Hiccup knew that Fish would hate himself if he killed someone, even if it was Snotlout, that and he would feel bad for his uncle and aunt.

"Easy Fishlegs, he is just jealous that Hiccup has the girl he wants and now will have to chose someone else, someone who not a fine Viking women like my sister or Astrid."

Hiccup eyes flashed over to Tuffnut, the boy was glaring just as hard as Fishlegs and his hands where balled into fist. Thor help me, he thought as he stepped in between his friends and the people about to lose their lives.

"That's enough, if you have a problem with me, Snotlout, then take it up with me, don't bring my friends into this."

Hiccups eyes where cold as they meet his cousins.

"Fine, my problem is your still here, taking what is mine."

"What is yours?"

Snotlout snorted.

"Astrid, she belongs to me, not you."

Hiccup laughed coldly.

"Astrid belongs to no one, she can chose who she wants, just as can any women."

The four men before him began to laugh, they held their sides.

"Women chose, you must be kidding, hahahaha!"

Hiccup sighed, this was one reason he was glad he wasn't a Viking, Viking women had no chose but to marry who their fathers picked for them. Hiccup sighed, the dragon world was so much easier, the female dragon's chose their mate. If only that was how the world worked, but no, backwards beliefs that men where better than women, Hiccup growled.

"Yes women chose, that is how it should be!"

Again laughter, Snotlout whipped a tear from his eyes and he glared at Hiccup.

"What ever you say _cousin_, but I will warn you now I will take her from you."

Dogsbreath smiled.

"An I'll make a nice pair of boots from that little dragon you have."

Dogbreath reached out and Hiccup growled, reaching up he grabbed the mans thumb and twisted bring the big man to his knees with a popping sound.

"Owch, let, owch, go."

Crimson crawled down Hiccup's arm and hissed right in the mans face, the crimson flames played in her mouth as Hiccup spoke to all the men in front of him.

"If any of you touch something I have swore to protect, I will kill you, and I will let my dragons burn you alive and piss on the ashes." With that he let go of Dogsbreath and kicked the man in the chest smashing him to the ground, pinning the man with his boot he glared down into the eyes of Dogsbreath.

"An I will make sure that I kill you slowly if you so much as look at my dragon's wrong."

With that he pulled his weight of the mans chest and stepped back. Dogsbreath got up slowly and growled at him. Hiccup smiled.

"Any time you all want to talk again, you know where to find me, oh and I would bring more people next time, hate for the odds to be in my favor, and you four aren't good enough to beat me on a bad day."

Crimson hissed and shot out a crimson bolt of fire into the ground at Snotlout's feet.

"Nice chat _cousin_, we should do it again some time." With that Hiccup turned and walked up towards the hall.

Tuffnut and Fishlegs followed, both with a smile on their face.

"Hiccup, you got to teach me how to do that."

Hiccup looked back at Tuffnut and smiled.

"A old friend taught me how to do that, she was the same one who gave me this." He patted the sword on his back, the weird blade was in it sheath, and was longer than a one handed sword.

"What is it?"

"Its a ōdachi, though it is a bit shorter than a normal ōdachi."

Fishlegs and Tuffnut looked at one another then back at Hiccup.

"What is a ōdachi?"

Hiccup sighed and shook his head a smile on his face.

"A sword forged in the Land of the Rising Sun."

Again both of his friends gave him a puzzling look and Hiccup just laughed.

"It's a really long sword that a friend, who lives very far east gave me."

They both nodded and began to walk again, noise could be heard coming from the meeting hall and Hiccup sighed, he stepped into the hall.

"Let's get this over with."

* * *

Astrid stirred her eyes flickering and she raised up. Yawing she looked around and then stopped, she no longer felt the warm heat of Crimson.

"Crimson?"

She began to look around but stopped as the black scaled form of Toothless came into her view, he was laying on the floor next to her bed. That meant that Hiccup had taken Crimson. She felt sad, she had made a attempt to get close to the dragons. The Nightfury didn't really care one way or another about her. But the little Terrible Terror named Crimson was another matter. She was like a cat or a dog, well trained and very loving, Astrid had never had a pet, but she liked animal's. Though if you had asked her if she would be friendly with a dragon she would have hit you with the butt of her ax. But the little dragon had warmed up to her and Astrid had liked the little dragon.

She moved after a few minutes and slipped from the bed, on the side that did not hold the Nightfury. She quickly got dressed and then walked around to where Toothless lay. She coughed loudly. Toothless let one eye fall open to look at her, then he grunted and stood. Stepping away from the door he watcher her.

"What?"

He nodded his head at the door, Astrid reached out and pulled the door open, Toothless darted out and jumped up on his favorite rafter.

"Spoiled dragon."

Toothless hissed back and if Astrid had know what he had said, she would have turned very red with embarrassment. She began to prepare food for herself and Hiccup, she smiled at the thought, but the sound of a soft knock on the door made her push it aside.

"Hello?"

Astrid poked her head out of the little den and smiled at Ruffnut.

"Hello."

Ruffnut gave a small smiled and walked in, Toothless dropped down and purred gently at the women. Ruffnut smiled and scratched the black dragon on his head. Then he turned and walked out the door, closing it with his tail as he went.

"How did you do that?'

Ruffnut looked at Astrid with a questioning look on her face.

"Do what?"

"Get him to like you? He hates me! Every time I try to talk to him he just huffs and rolls over or walks away."

Ruffnut smiled.

* * *

Hiccup leaned heavily against a wall, his arms crossed as he waited in the shadows for his father and uncle to get there. He was not alone this time as Tuffnut and Fishlegs stood on either side of him. Hiccup smiled as the booming voices of Stoick, Spitlout, and Gobber echo into the hall doorways.

"I'm telling you I don't like it, I say we treat him like any other foreigner and kick him and his silver tongue to the ocean, and let Thor deal with him then."

It appeared that Gobber also didn't like Alahan.

"An what makes you say that Gobber?"

His uncle stepping into the hall with his eyes closed and shaking his head in a mainer that suggested he wanted nothing to do with this conversation.

"He has to many teeth, and well he just is to handsome."

There was a loud laugh.

"To many teeth, handsome! Hahahaah!"

Hiccup couldn't help but run his tongue over his own teeth, to many teeth, was that a bad thing?

"Odin, forget I said any thing, but when he tries to stab us in the back, your getting the first round in Valhalla."

Gobber walked into the hall, Hiccup's father following right behind. A smile on his face as he shook his head. Hiccup looked around, Alahan was not present, they must want to speak with out him. Hiccup stepped from the shadows, flanked by Tuffnut and Fishlegs.

"Hiccup, good where all here then."

"Where is Alahan?" Hiccup looked around once more as if he was seeking out a wolf in sheep's clothing.

"He is not here, being watched by a few of my men while he eats, he will be brought up when I send for him. I wanted to talk to the tribe first."

Hiccup nodded and stepped away to let his father pass, instead the beefy man gestured him to step to the huge table with him, the golden dragon with the sword hung above it and Hiccup glared at it, then turned his eyes back to his father, who once more gestured him to the front. Hiccup followed and stood on the left of his father, Spitlout on the right, and Hiccup noticed that Fishlegs and Tuffnut stood behind him.

"I call this meeting to order."

Hiccup heard Tuffnut whisper behind him.

"I'll have a chickens leg, with a large pint of mead."

Hiccup smiled and shook his head as he turned his attain back to his father who's loud voice boomed out over the hall.

"The quest for the treasure, we can not afford to take a large group, so I will only take fifteen or so men, or women who wish to come."

There was a mummer that ran around the room. Stoick continued.

"I myself will be going as will my son as he is the only one with a dragon. My brother and Gobber will be staying here to watch over the village in case some thing where to happen to me you will not be leaderless."

Hiccup looked to his uncle the big man was frowning at this. Stoick and Spitlout where close, his uncle went every where with Stoick, but this quest was some thing that none of them might come back from. Hiccup looked away, his mind flew to other dangers things he had done, he smiled, he would come back from this, and so would every one who went. Then a voice broke the silence.

"I will come." Hiccup turned to see Fishlegs smiling his hammer on his shoulder.

"Count me in!" Tuffnut crossed his arms with a great smile.

Stoick nodded at both of them and Hiccup smiled back at them, both where friends that he could trust to have his back, even Tuffnut, who wouldn't run away from a fight, unless he was very much hurt. Hiccup hoped that had changed.

"I'll go as well."

Hiccup's head snapped around to look at his cousin who was glaring at him. Hiccup glared back, then the rest of the spot where slowly filled. In the end most of the spots where taken up by seasoned warriors, but Hiccup had noticed, that Dogsbreath, Clueless, and Wartehog, the other man who had been standing with Snotlout, had volunteered to go.

Hiccup sighed, just what he need, four people that hated him, then again Finran had volunteered as well. 'Well at least Astrid will be alright' thought Hiccup. Hiccup nodded approval at the men and three women who had volunteered.

"Good, we will leave in a weeks time, we will wait now for Alahan, Gobber if you would go get the man with to many teeth."

Hiccup swore he head Gobber threaten to knock a few out as he hobbled away. Hiccup caught his father eyes and waved him away from the table.

"Father, I would like to point out that it is not wise to go, Skullions have excellent noses and will smell us a mile away."

Stoick looked thoughtful. "An how would you get past them."

Hiccup frowned.

"Now you want my opinion?"

Stoick looked dumbfounded, "I always want you opinion, you have the right to speak freely."

Hiccup's gaze grew dark, "I didn't use to."

Stoick looked away and he sighed.

"No your right, you didn't it is my fault for that,maybe, no if I had listened I wouldn't have lost my son for three years, sorry."

"Fine, not forgiven, but your on your way to it, but you should have listened when I said not to open the chest."

Stoick nodded sadly.

"I know, but that treasure can help the people of Berk, the dragon raids cripple us slowly, and the Outcast grow stronger, before long, they will wipe us out."

Hiccup looked up at his father and saw no hint of greed, just a man wanting to do what was right.

"Fine, I understand, you are right, but one of those problems you speak of will be taken care of, an I will ask you for you help in doing it, but for now I must speak on another matter."

Stoick shook his head a confused look on his face.

"I am not the rider when Alahan is around."

Stoick looked confused.

"But, why?"

Hiccup looked towards the door.

"He... I don't trust him, I feel as if I have meet him before."

Stoick looked at the doors a grim frown on his face. Then he looked back at his son.

"Then who are you when he is around."

Hiccup smiled.

"Your son, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the third."

Stoick smiled and nodded.

"An your dragon?"

" I am a dragon whisper remember, that is a common thing in some places, so we can tell him that."

Stoick nodded and head for the table, he spoke low and told all around the table about Hiccup, all nodded and looked at the man. Hiccup nodded back and walked back to the table.

* * *

**Hello all sorry about the last chapter being so short, and the grammar, I don't have time to go back and prof read every thing as I am searching for a new job at the moment and have college work to do so please bare with me folks...I do hope you are enjoying this as much as I have been writing it so keep reading and reviewing it keeps me going -smiles-**


	13. Dragon Whisper, Heir

**Chapter 11**

**Dragon Whisper, Heir.**

His hood still up he locked eyes with the supposed farmer. Hiccup didn't trust the man as far as he could probably have thrown him.

"So what is your plan for getting on the island?"

Alahan smiled as he stood now at the other end of the table, Snotlout and his band had all moved to stand near the poor but honest farmer, "Well, I was hoping that you all might have a way to get on the island and keep from getting eaten."

All eyes turned to Hiccup, the lie had been bought that he was a dragon whisper as well as tammer, Crimson sat on his shoulder looked out as she hissed, "They want master to come up with a plan? Can they not think for themselves?"

Hiccup hissed back, "Shush, it's my job to help them."

Looking at those around him he nodded, and pulled his hood off, "Smell, they can smell you easily, but if we smell like them we don't have to worry about getting caught by them."

"Eww, "Snotlout at the other end held his nose, 'Who wants to smell like a nasty reptile."

Closing his eyes Hiccup prayed that Odin would give him the power not to kill his cousin, opening his eyes he glared at Snotlout, 'Well hey, why don't we just fight them then, you know all of those dragons, who have hides as hard as iron, and teeth as sharp as daggers, I'm sure there is only like forty or fifty of them on the island, no problem right?"

Snotlout puffed out his chest, "We can do it we are the strongest of the Viking world."

A cheer went up and Hiccup looked to his father who was getting swept up into the excitement of fighting.

"No, the young son of Stoick is right."

The cheers stopped and everyone looked at Alahan, the farmer was smiling his usual friendly grin, "He is right, we would all die without finding anything."

Hiccup looked at the man, he still felt like he had met this man before, Alahan nodded at him, "Would we not be killed if we headed to the island with out a way to trick the lizards?"

Crimson hissed at the words, "I'll kill him if he calls us lizards again!"

Reaching up Hiccup scratched the little dragons head and hissed back at her, 'You didn't get upset when Snotlout called the Skullions reptiles."

Hissing the tiny dragon leaned into the petting, "He is your blood, means he has the same good as you."

Smiling as Hiccup looked at his cousin, he had once gotten along with his cousin, when they were much younger, he would try to get along with him again, he then nodded at Alahan, 'Yes, we would kill many of them, but they are many, there kind breed much like rabbits, where there is one there is hundreds."

Mumbling began to flow around the room as the idea of every man and woman to go on this little adventure ending up in the grave and in Valhalla.

"But there is a way to trick them."

Hiccup looked around the room as it grew quiet and all eyes fixed on him, "We will have to smell like them, to do that I will need three of them."

The room stayed silent as Stoick finally talked, he had been looking at a spot on the table but now look at Hiccup, "Why do you need three of them?"

Hiccup gave a wide smile, he loved to talk about his knowledge on dragons, "There is a gland in the dragons that they use to tell one another apart from prey, it is under the skin on their back, I need that gland to make a salve that we could rub on ourselves to smell just like them."

The chatter then began, who would go, when, how, dragon glands? Hiccup sighed as he listened, and these were the people I am trying to help, Odin help me. Stoick then slammed his hand against the long table.

"Silence!" The large clan leader moved slowly, making many of the Vikings move out of his way as he paced , he was holding his chin, he was thinking, but not on the dragon, but on his son. He had thought this before, the boy was helping, no not boy anymore, but man, the man was helping them, but what would happen after he was done. His son would leave, Stoick knew this, but he had to find a way to keep his boy here with him. That was why he had gone along with the plan to let Astrid stay with his son, he didn't know how he felt about the girl, after all he wanted to strangle the girls father.

"Stoick?"

Looking, he found Spitelout looking at him, "Yes!"

"What is your thoughts brother?"

Shaking his head he calmed his mind and looks now at his son, "I will discuss it with the elders, till then this meeting is dismissed."

Turning and leaving the mess hall, he had to ask the Elders to postpone the voyage till he was sure he could talk his son into staying with them.

* * *

Hiccup watched his father leave the hall, the big man had worn an expression of worry. Turning himself to leave a cough caught his attention, turning and looking Alahan stood there with his normal grin, his hand out, "Have not had the pleasure of meeting the young dragon tamer."

Hiccup's eyes locked to the hand, then flicked back to the man who held it out to him, 'Yeah, umm hello..."

Taking the hand Hiccup applied little pressure to give the appearance of being weak, Alahan on the other hand all but tried to crush his hand.

"Oh what a firm handshake, must get that from your father."

Pulling his hand away after the farmer let it go, he flexed it so that the blood would flow back to the tips of his fingers, 'Yes, I do."

"Sorry Farmer, but Hiccup has much to do still."

Turning, to find Fishlegs and Tuffnut behind him he nodded to the man, 'So sorry, would love to talk about, what was it potatos, but have much to do."

Moving for the exit he did not turn to talk to his friends till he was far away from the main hall, "That man, he isn't what he says he is, his hands smell of blood and his grip is that of a swordsman."

"So what do you plan on doing then?"

Fishlegs had his arms crossed as Hiccup rubbed at his chin, this was not going to be easy, the man was up to no good, he could tell, but how to convince the others, no that wouldn't work. He growled in frustration and paced, Hiccup heard Tuffnut whisper to Fishlegs.

"He looks like his dad when he does that."

Fishlegs nodded with a grin, as Hiccup rolled his eyes, he didn't have time for this, he sighed heavily, "Until Stoick tells us what the plan is on getting the glands we just watch and wait, if Alahan so much as sneezes in the wrong direction, we kill him."

The other two nodded and Hiccup then felt his stomach rumble , "But why don't we go grab a bite to eat, no reason to plot a man's death on a empty stomach."

Hiccup turned to head for the mess hall when Fish grabbed him by the shoulder, "Umm actually Im under orders to send ya home after the meeting."

Looking at him in question Hiccup cocked a brow, "Oh? Why?"

Shrugging Fish shook his head, " Wifes orders, no idea, but I was asked to tell ya so I am."

Nodding Hiccup changed courses then and headed for home, 'Okay, we'll meet at my house in a hour or so, till then watch the snake in are mists."

They nodded and he watched them go, he wondered why he had to head back home, what was going on, turning his boots back for home, he walked slowly, his mind coming up with several different plans, all of them went south at one point in his mind and he scrapped them. He almost ran into the side of his house if not for Crimson.

"Master, wall!"

Stopping within inches of it, his nose almost touching it as he smiled shakily , 'Thanks."

Hissing the little dragon leaned over to look into his eyes, "Master? What seems to be wrong?"

Sighing in frustration, he turned and leaned against the side of his home, "Well to be blunt, I'm not sure how I'm going to get that gland, I mean I know how to get one, but not without some losses..."

Breaking off his worries he pushed slowly off the wall he was leaning, "I could get so many people killed, and for what, some gold and trinkets."

Sighing heavily he shook his head, they needed it, the Hooligan clan had hit a rough patch, what with the dragon attacks an...damn...he still had to take care of those. He rubbed at his eyes and sighed once more, a riders work was never done, he almost missed the days in Rome, well almost.

Walking now around his home he headed towards the front door, stopping as it was wide open, his eyes widening as he sprints to the door and rushes in, only to stop dead in his tracks. Standing in the middle of the room near the table was Astrid, except she was in a dress, her hair was loose, and she was smiling and petting Toothless head. Hiccup just stood there, struck dumb, but not knowing which was most shocking, Astrid petting Toothless, or her in a dress. Toothless then saw him and gave out a small purr.

"Welcome back," walking over to him, Astrid now saw him, her smile left her lips and Hiccup could have swore she blushed, "Hiccup, you mouth is hanging open."

Snapping his mouth shut he glared at Toothless. Turning to look at Astrid he crouched abit, then noticed the meal on the table, 'What is the special occasion?"

"Ummmm..." Astrid fidgeted, "Your welcome home party."

Cocking a brow he put his hands on his hips, "Umm didn't I have one of those down at the Feasting Hall?"

Shaking her head slowly, she now gave him a sharp glare, 'But I wasn't there, this one is mine and Toothless welcome home party for you."

Looking down Toothless gave him his toothless grin and growled, "It's a good idea, but you don't want to know the amount of trouble I went through trying to get her to figure out what I was trying to say to her..."

Smirking Hiccup could just see it now, Toothless flailing about trying to tell Astrid what to do. Just the thought of it brought a large smile to his face and made him chuckle lightly. Moving slowly towards the table he reached out and pulled a hunk of meat off the table, she had prepared a few different foods for his eating pleasure.

" I see you out did yourself."

Astrid looked down, she was confused she couldn't look at Hiccup and she felt warm all over, swallowing she told him the truth, " Ruffnut helped."

"She is not taking credit, she did most of the work." Toothless hissed as he walked over to the table and looked at the contents that lay about it.

Popping the chunk of meat into his mouth, the taste of honey filled his mouth as he savored it, swallowing he smiled like a fool, " Good, very good."

He was about to say more when there was a knock at the door, walking over he pulled it open without thinking to ask who it might be, the only thing Hiccup saw was a oversized fist come at him, then stars...

* * *

**Howdy all sorry for the leave of absence, i will be putting this story on hold as to go back and do the three years that Hiccup has been missing since then, the first chapter of How to be a Dragon Rider will be up later today, as will be a Ghost Busters Extreme first look chapter that I am writing, the more reviews I get for that the more I will write thx and peace...**


	14. Plots and Spy's

Chapter 12

Plots and Spy's.

Crashing to the floor with an umph, Hiccup growled as his training kicked in, rolling as he came down, his umph turned into a low snarl as he sprang back onto his feet. His eye locking with the big man who now stood in the entrance to his home, the heavy stench of mead wafted through the air sending Hiccups seances reeling. "Nice to see you're making a house call Finran, now as I'm not in the mood for company, I suggest.."

With a roar Hiccup was cut short as Finran charged into the home, jumping back then sidestepping the big man, Hiccup pushed him adding to the man's momentum, this caused him to slam hard into the sturdy wooden door of Hiccups' room. Whipping around a growl on his lips, throwing down his mug, Finran pulled at his sword with the unbroken arm.

Rushing forward Hiccup caught the hilt of the blade before Finran could pull it out and pushed it back into the sheath. Pulling back his other hand he balled it into a fist then with as much might as he could muster slammed his fist into the man's face. With a bone sounding crack Finran stumbled back as his nose bleed freely. Hiccup did not stop his attack, rushing forward, he jumped grabbing the back of the man's massive head and pulling it down as he brought up his right leg, again a sickening crunch was heard as knee and nose meet, blood now pouring from the crooked nose as Finran stumbled about.

Stepping to hit him again, Hiccup stopped as Astrid now stood in front of him, her arms outstretched as she glared at him.

"What are you doing." His voice was cold as he stated not truly asked, he already knew what she was doing, she was being a idiot.

"He is still my father!' Her eyes watered as tears threatened to spill forth. "I can't let you do this."

Hiccup stepped back, Odin, give me strength he thought," And what pray tell do you think I planned on doing if he approached you or hurt you?"

She looked away, and didn't answer, Hiccup on the other hand continued," Oh did you think I would just smack his hand and let him off the hook, no I gave my word, and he dared to attack me in my own home, that gives me every right to do as I just did, and more."

He went to step around Astrid, but she moved to block his path, "You have beaten him already, he..."

Finran pushed his daughter aside, "Move wench!"

Roaring he now held a dagger in his left hand, rushing at Hiccup his eyes filled with a craze, that Hiccup had only seen in those who were about to die. Slipping back, Hiccup opened his stance, he had about enough of this, if the man wanted to die, then Hiccup might just assist him with that.

Finran trusted out, but before it got anywhere near Hiccup, Astrid slammed hard into the big beefy man that was her father.

"Stop it!" She sobbed as she tried to pin her father arm, but it only further enraged Finran, Hiccup moved but was stopped as Toothless, slammed his body hard against Hiccup, hissing as he did.

"Wake up, you're letting your darkness get the better of you, stop trying to kill him, he is not Elemental, this is a human who is drunk and stupid, stop thinking him an enemy, he is beneath you, or have you forgotten what your adopted father told you?"

Flashes of the once might Swift Wing sprang to mind as he stopped dead in his tracks, the King had chosen him over three other humans to be the rider, then he had chosen him, a human to be of the dragon clan, to be his son.

Hiccup then moved, no longer with hate, or anger, but a cold calmness. He pulled Astrid off her father in one swift yank. Finrans dagger struck out though and caught Hiccup in the leg. Without flinching Hiccup grabbed the man's wrist, twisting with a load sickening pop the dagger clattered to the floor and Finran howled in pain.

"You broke it, you broke my wrist, you son of a …"

Not getting a chance to finish as Hiccup's fist found the big man's already swollen nose. Again and again he struck, aiming for weak points on the big man, years of fighting in the Roman Coliseum and the training by his friend Tomoe.

"Hit here."

His hand slamming hard into the wooden training dummy. A young women only a few years older than him with dark hair and emerald green eyes steps around him and looks at where he had punched. Reaching out the soft skin of her fingers touching lightly on his arm, a shiver running up his spine as she then spoke, her voice soft but strong.

"Good but, you should aim here to kill."

Frowning Hiccup pulled his arm away from her tender touch, "I don't want to kill, I just want to knock them out, if I kill one of the guards then they will really come after me."

Frowning Tomoe reached out again. Her face faded then and Finran's ugly mug popped back into his vision, sighing as he danced away from another dagger swipe. He was starting to get tired but old Fin looks like he was worst off. The big man's tunic was covered in blood and his nose was crooked in 2 spots. Not that Finran had ever been what one would call handsome.

Hiccup was tired of this fight, "Finran, if you can hear me though that anger, listen, and listen well."

Walking towards Finran Hiccup's voice filled with the hisses and growls of the dragon language but, it was deep and held an edge of power to it.

Astride stood wide eyed and looking on as the hissing and growls mixed the air and somehow she could understand what he was saying.

Hiccup kept hissing and growling as he let the worlds in circle the big man, "Now sleep."

The last two words came out as a soft chime sound and no sooner did they leave his lips then Finran slumped forward and passed out. Hiccup almost did the same, just barely catching himself on the side table near him, "Astrid, go fetch Fish Legs.

Astrid looked down at her father, then back up at Hiccup. Nodding she stood and made her way to the door stopping at the now broken door she turned looking back," Thank you."

Turning around she ran out, Hiccup frowned, she had been crying. Gritting his teeth down at her father," You really aren't worth it."

Nudging the big man with his boot a groan slipped out.

Finran looked stunned," I did what?

The large man now lay in the cell, his arms though broken where bond together.

Hiccup crossed his arms, this was more than a drunken stupor, he had treated his own daughter like a common nothing, was he that cold or….was there something else at play here. The big man had been question for hours now but, he seemed to know nothing, something was very wrong.

Stoick stepped to the cell," You attacked my son and you have the guts to fake as if you remember nothing.

"Hold father." Hiccup made his way to the cell.

The eyes that followed were not filled with hate as Hiccup had once seen but, instead with fear.

"What do you last remember?"

Eyes flickering around as if the big man was having issues remembering what happened last.

"I remember….I was having drinks with Drig, when that Farmer came over he started talking to us….an….I don't remember any more."

Hiccup turned," I think he was drugged, the farmer is not who he appears to be and needs to be watched."

Stoick eyed Finran," It does not matter he attacked you and was warned, he has two choices."

Hiccup turned back towards the cell, Finran's face was ash white, "You can choose Finran, death or banishment."

Looking up Finran locked eyes with the rider, "Death, I chose death."

Nodding Hiccup turned, 'Undo his bindings."

The guards looked at each other then towards Stoick, the chief nodded for them to do as his son said, though he did not know where this was going.

Reaching down they undid the bindings, the man groaned in pain as his broken arms were released. Standing he waited watching the bo….no Rider.

"Your brave Finran, I will not have you killed from something that was not your fault, instead I want you to watch the farmer carefully make it seem like nothing happened."

Finran looked as if he had swallowed his tongue, "I live?"

Hiccup could not help but smirk at the large man," You live yes but, I want you to act like nothing has changed you still hate me, and you are to try and get information out of the farmer, then report to my father, understand."

Finran no looked at this bo….no man, there was strength that he had never seen there as well as a mind that work differently from his own, if it had been him he would have had Hiccup killed. He felt respect for the young man, maybe he was wrong. Nodding then he moved towards the cell door," I understand and I will do as you ask of me, Rider."

Stoick watched the two men then turned towards his son," You would let him go?"

Nodding Hiccup now turned looking at his fathers worried face," He was beat father, he knows what I am capable of, even if he cannot remember it his body does, because of that he doesn't pose a threat anymore."

Stocik scratched at the back of his neck," I don't know, Finran is…."

Holding up his hand Hiccup cut him off," You asked me to decide before we woke him, and I have, he lives, that is the end of it."

Nodding slowly Stoick walked towards the prison door looking back he could see the shadows that seemed to cling to his son, as well as the burning hate that was held firmly in his child's chest, it saddened the big man to no end that he had been the cause of some of that hate and sadness. "Very well son I leave it to you."

Watching his father go his eyes turning once more to where Finran had laid, the farmer was someone who needed to be watched at all times and not by him, he could not shake the feeling that he had meet the man once before.

"Where have I met you?"

* * *

Hey guys, I have been away a while, between working on my own book, the job, and going to school for Game Design I have lost track of this story. I however never forgot about it, so I am back, I will try to post a chapter a month, so bear with me as I slip back into writing about Hiccup's world again.

Thanks,

Christopher Jung


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